An Adorable Lesson in Ownership
My son is HUGE fan of The Leaf Thief, so when I told him that a sequel was in the works, he had me check to make sure the library had it on order (they did).
And for a kid who likes to pocket rocks, acorns, sticks, leaves, and anything else he
finds while playing outside (which inevitably end up in my washing machine), this book was a great way to start a conversation about how nature belongs in nature.
Synopsis
In a follow-up to 2020's The Leaf Thief, Hemming and Slater's Squirrel & Bird duo enjoy the wonders of spring. Squirrel is especially excited to find a flower growing between their two trees- but closer to Squirrel's, making it Squirrel's flower. As Squirrel attempts to protect the flower at all costs, Bird tries to explain what flowers really need- and that wildflowers don't really "belong" to anyone, no matter how close to your tree they may grow.
My Big Kid’s Honest Review:
What my Kids Loved: Squirrel. My kids loved Squirrel. Squirrel is funny, a little clueless, and a little frantic... but also has a big heart and a childlike personality that kids can easily connect with. My littlest didn't have the patience for this book other than looking at the pictures. The big kid found Squirrels attempts to protect the flower to be very funny because he knew how wrong those attempts were. He also really enjoyed the backmatter, having just learned about the plant life cycle at the end of the school year.
What I Loved: As a mom, I found that this book was easy to read with my boys and was informational as well as funny. The interest level for my oldest was high because he already loved the first book. As a writer, I admire the Squirrel and Bird duo and the way that this book pushes their friendship into a new but similar situation.
My favorite lines:
"It's so windy, Bird! I don't want my flower to blow away like the leaves did in autumn."
Final thoughts: This book can be enjoyed regardless of whether the reader has read The Leaf Thief or not. While my family preferred the first book to this one, both are humorous, heartwarming, and full of fun nature facts.
You can check out or request Don't Touch That Flower from your local library, or purchase from Sourcebooks, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other retailers- but don't forget to check your local independent bookstore first!
I loved The Leaf Thief. Squirrel is hilarious. Thanks for sharing this follow up with bird and squirrel.
We read The Leaf Theif last night for the first time, so this was good timing to share about the sequel!