PreS-Gr 1 In this gently teasing picture book, Bear and Squirrel are unusual friends who help each other out. Bear shakes trees so that acorns fall down for Squirrel, and Squirrel helps Bear with some household dusting, but they also play games and have fun together. The other bears and squirrels don't get itthe other bears think Squirrel would be a great snack, and Squirrel's friends worry he'll get eaten. After a long winter of hibernation, Bear awakens and sees Squirrel as a cupcake, and tells Squirrel how delicious he looks. After a few ambiguous and terrifying moments where Bear declares that he can't resist, readers learn that Bear has eaten the blueberry pancakes Squirrel has made without saving any. Bear and Squirrel's friendship is sweet and endearing, but their story is also full of humor, such as when Bear uses Squirrel's tail as a feather duster, Bear's dream bubbles show sandwiches and pizza, and he literally sees Squirrel as a cupcake. The clear, simple illustrations are drawn in muted pastels. Children will laugh at the story and perhaps even learn about being a good friend. VERDICT A general purchase for most library collections. Liz Anderson, D.C. Public Library

This comical take on an unusual friendship offers lessons in resisting peer pressure and temptation. The story starts by acknowledging that bears will sometimes eat squirrels. But this particular Bear and Squirrel, first shown exchanging a blueberry and an acorn, are friends.They have fun together, chatting on tree trunks or playing hide-and-seek in the forest (though Bear is pretty easy to spot). They help each other out uirrel uses his tail to sweep Bear's den; Bear shakes trees till acorns fall down. But the other bears think Bear is missing out on a tasty snack, and the squirrels think Squirrel is playing around with a killer. The big test comes after Bear wakes up from hibernation and sees Squirrel as a delicious cupcake. Gouache illustrations in gentle colors soften the somewhat scary premise and keep humor at the fore. Readers will love the suspense of the final pages, the resolution of which is a resounding endorsement for friendship through thick and thin (and hunger).