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The Flying Squirrel Stowaways: From Halifax to Boston
It's wintertime in Nova Scotia, and two flying squirrels are busy exploring the woods around their spruce-tree home. After a busy night of playing and gliding and snacking, they're ready to settle down and sleep all day.
But humans have other plans: the tree is cut down and packed onto a truck bound for Boston, Massachusetts. It turns out their new home has been chosen as Halifax's annual thank-you gift, the Boston Christmas Tree! The little squirrels have no idea they're about to embark on a journey across Atlantic Canada and Maine on the way to Boston. Will the accidental stowaways be discovered? And what awaits them in their new American home?
But humans have other plans: the tree is cut down and packed onto a truck bound for Boston, Massachusetts. It turns out their new home has been chosen as Halifax's annual thank-you gift, the Boston Christmas Tree! The little squirrels have no idea they're about to embark on a journey across Atlantic Canada and Maine on the way to Boston. Will the accidental stowaways be discovered? And what awaits them in their new American home?
32 pages, Hardcover
Published August 30, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 6, 2021
When my GR friend, Kathleen, read and reviewed this book, I immediately signed it out from my local library! Recently, I read this story to a Grade 2 class, since the study of a Nova Scotian community is part of the Grade 2 Alberta social studies curriculum. They thoroughly enjoyed this picture book, citing the following reasons:
1. the idea of the annual gift of a Christmas tree to Bostonians as a "thank you" for their assistance during the 1917 Halifax Explosion (Boston sent a trainload of doctors and nurses to assist with the wounded);
2. the inclusion of a map showing the route that is taken each year to deliver the tree, and its mention of familiar landmarks (I especially appreciated this!);
3. the colorful pictures; and,
4. the flying squirrels were cute, especially on the final page!
Personally, the picture and mention of Boston's Swan Boats brought a smile to my face as I made the connection the E. B. White's The Trumpet of the Swan.
Overall, this is a heartwarming story for children about the kindness, compassion and appreciation shown towards neighbors through the eyes of two delightful flying squirrels. Highly recommend!
1. the idea of the annual gift of a Christmas tree to Bostonians as a "thank you" for their assistance during the 1917 Halifax Explosion (Boston sent a trainload of doctors and nurses to assist with the wounded);
2. the inclusion of a map showing the route that is taken each year to deliver the tree, and its mention of familiar landmarks (I especially appreciated this!);
3. the colorful pictures; and,
4. the flying squirrels were cute, especially on the final page!
Personally, the picture and mention of Boston's Swan Boats brought a smile to my face as I made the connection the E. B. White's The Trumpet of the Swan.
Overall, this is a heartwarming story for children about the kindness, compassion and appreciation shown towards neighbors through the eyes of two delightful flying squirrels. Highly recommend!
January 17, 2021
The Flying Squirrel Stowaways from Nova Scotia to Boston written and vibrantly illustrated by Marijke Simons is a fun holiday story about curiosity, adventure, and making a new home.
In December 1918 Nova Scotia gave an evergreen tree to Boston and installed it at Boston Commons as thanks for all the help the people of Boston gave Halifax after the Halifax explosion December 6, 1917. In December 1971 Nova Scotia gave Boston a huge evergreen tree to let the people know that their kindness in 1917 was not forgotten. This has continued every year since 1971.
Marijke Simons was born in Amsterdam in 1952 and two years later immigrated with her parents to Montreal. She returned to Amsterdam to the State Academy of Fine Arts. In 1976 she moved to Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, to raise a family.
This children's book would make a lovely gift for children aged 5 to 10. It would be great for elementary school and classroom libraries. It's also the perfect book for an aunt or grandpa to read to a nephew or granddaughter.
In December 1918 Nova Scotia gave an evergreen tree to Boston and installed it at Boston Commons as thanks for all the help the people of Boston gave Halifax after the Halifax explosion December 6, 1917. In December 1971 Nova Scotia gave Boston a huge evergreen tree to let the people know that their kindness in 1917 was not forgotten. This has continued every year since 1971.
Marijke Simons was born in Amsterdam in 1952 and two years later immigrated with her parents to Montreal. She returned to Amsterdam to the State Academy of Fine Arts. In 1976 she moved to Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, to raise a family.
This children's book would make a lovely gift for children aged 5 to 10. It would be great for elementary school and classroom libraries. It's also the perfect book for an aunt or grandpa to read to a nephew or granddaughter.
December 20, 2021
A cute local picture book telling the tale of the route the annual Christmas tree takes from Nova Scotia to Boston. The illustrations will appeal to young readers.
April 25, 2018
Simons, Marijke The Flying Squirrel Stowaways, illustrated by Marijke Simons. PICTURE BOOK. Nimbus Publishing, 2017. $23. 9781771085502.
Two squirrels are chased into a large evergreen tree by an owl. Little do they know that the tree they are in is set to be cut down as the annual Halifax gift to the city of Boston for their Christmas tree in Boston Commons. These two squirrels have the adventure of a lifetime as they travel to their destination.
This is a delightful story commemorating the rescue efforts the City of Boston made in 1817, when a ship exploded in the Halifax Bay, killing many citizens and starting a town fire. Simons aptly created a cute children’s story to describe the love the people of Halifax have for the City of Boston. Her clear illustrations add to the sweetness of the story.
EL- ESSENTIAL. MOMMAC
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
Two squirrels are chased into a large evergreen tree by an owl. Little do they know that the tree they are in is set to be cut down as the annual Halifax gift to the city of Boston for their Christmas tree in Boston Commons. These two squirrels have the adventure of a lifetime as they travel to their destination.
This is a delightful story commemorating the rescue efforts the City of Boston made in 1817, when a ship exploded in the Halifax Bay, killing many citizens and starting a town fire. Simons aptly created a cute children’s story to describe the love the people of Halifax have for the City of Boston. Her clear illustrations add to the sweetness of the story.
EL- ESSENTIAL. MOMMAC
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
October 27, 2020
More Squirrels, Please!
The squirrels are cute and the story is interesting. I didn't know about Halifax and Boston's special connection The illustrations are excellent, especially the Christmas tree. For me the book ended abruptly - I wanted just a little more of the story about the squirrels' new life.
The squirrels are cute and the story is interesting. I didn't know about Halifax and Boston's special connection The illustrations are excellent, especially the Christmas tree. For me the book ended abruptly - I wanted just a little more of the story about the squirrels' new life.
November 3, 2018
This is a cute story, brightly illustrated about two flying squirrels in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, that were accidentally transported to Boston in a tree chosen as a Christmas gift to that city.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews