So who is the culprit? A double-page spread depicts a squirrel's horrified face in a close-up as he shrieks in rhymed couplets, "This is what I feared! / My hazelnuts have disappeared!" Five wide-eyed, befuddled creatures claim their innocence: the nuts are not in mole's hill, mouse's cave, rabbit's or hamster's burrows, or fox's (who is lolling in the grass, chewing on chicken bones) den. But when the squirrel returns home, the crime is solved: the nuts are right where he left them. Someone has some apologies to make. The Swiss author-illustrator of the popular Rainbow Fish books provides a moral tale about the dangers of making false accusations. His soft-edged, colorful watercolors present the particular personalities of each animal in their natural habitats. The long-eared brown and toothsome squirrel appears in his boreal habitat on every oversize page, his emotions progressing from anger and outrage to dejection and, finally, to delight. The large format, rhyming text and simple story will adapt well for storytimes.

Rainbow Fish creator Pfister moves from sea to forest to create another book in signature soft-edged watercolors. No shimmers this time.The first two-page spread captures an idyllic wildflower scene in which "all was quiet and all was still." But with a page turn, a crisis explodes. Readers come face to face with an enormous illustration of a horrified squirrel from whom "there came a scream so shrill / That all the trees quaked and quivered, / And all the animals shook and shivered." The catastrophe? The squirrel's hazelnuts have disappeared. Determined to find the thief, the squirrel visits a mole, mouse, rabbit, hamster (oddly, living loose in the European woods), and fox and accuses each of stealing his hazelnuts. The first four each deny being the thief and reply with a refrain that young listeners can chime in on: "I know for a fact it isn't me." Unsurprisingly, the fox threatens to eat the squirrel. With his tummy rumbling, the despairing squirrel heads home only to discover the missing hazelnuts under fallen leaves where he must have stored them. Ecstatic, the squirrel shares his news with his heretofore suspects, but rather than sharing his joy, they have "a different feeling." In a rushed and not particularly satisfying ending, the squirrel apologizes and then eats some hazelnuts.Vibrant, layered illustrations in lush woodland colors outshine a simplistic storyline. (Picture book. 3-6)

PreS-Gr 2 When a squirrel can't find his precious cache of hazelnuts, he visits all the other woodland creatures he suspects might have stolen them. When his search turns up nothing, he walks in despair back to his home, only to discover a wonderful surprise and learn a valuable lesson. The opening pages feature a serene spring day followed by a full-page close-up of a screaming squirrel, demonstrating the sheer terror he feels having lost his nuts. From there, the illustrations deftly complement the story, with Squirrel pointing fingers and the other animals' faces displaying disbelief at being accused. The forest even turns blue as the defeated squirrel trudges home, reflecting his mood and disappointment. The story is written in verse, with playful rhymes and outstanding complex vocabulary. Further, the exchanges between the squirrel and other animals are rather comical, as the hamster has big cheeks that would make a good hiding place, and the wily rabbit is at risk of being arrested. Beyond that, the story proves a valuable lesson for children about the importance of personal responsibility and saying sorry. VERDICT A fabulously illustrated tale, this fun and educational story is perfect for most young readers. Kaitlin Malixi, Kensington Health Sciences Academy, Philadelphia