PreS-Gr 1 Rose photographs wild squirrels exploring miniature dollhouse-type sets constructed in her backyard. The story is built around the photos of squirrels interacting with tiny, handmade props. Readers first meet Mr. Peanuts as he pursues his hobbies: cooking on a grill, playing a piano, and engaging with several books in a library set. Feeling lonely, Mr. Peanuts pens a letter, inviting Cousin Squirrel to visit. He prepares for his friend's arrival by cleaning his house, baking a cake, and taking a bath. Once Cousin Squirrel arrives, the two animals sit in a wagon together, enjoy a picnic, and camp out. Rather than being plot- or character-driven, the text seems to exist only to showcase and loosely tie the pictures together. The book ends with "Ten Tips for Photographing Wildlife" and a "Q &; A with Nancy Rose." Children may enjoy visually examining Mr. Peanuts' miniature world, but the lackluster text makes this an additional purchase. Laura Hunter, Mount Laurel Library, NJ

Before Cousin Squirrel visits, Mr. Peanuts tidies house, makes the bed, takes a bath, and bakes a cake. Together they eat pancakes, go for a wagon ride, play chess, picnic, and more. Wild squirrels interacting with miniature objects in domestic settings make for amusing photographs that, together with an appended behind-the-scenes look at how they are made, somewhat compensate for the thin plot.