K-Gr 2--Squirrels Johnny and Janie ignore their parents' warnings about the big, bad wolf and sneak out late at night in search of the tasty, giant acorns on a nearby farm. On the way home, they meet the nasty wolf, who chases them and bites off Johnny's tail. Johnny survives, but discovers that without his tail for balance, he's no longer the fastest squirrel in the forest. This didactic story is an obvious attempt to teach a lesson, and there is little content beyond the message that children should always obey their parents. Most of the text consists of pedestrian dialogue that doesn't do justice to the complex rhythms of children's speech. The unremarkable cartoon illustrations, done primarily in brown and green, depict nearly identical generic squirrels, except that the females have blue eyes and long eyelashes. For a more appealing picture book about a child who disobeys his parents and learns a lesson, see Rosemary Wells's Fritz and the Mess Fairy (Dial, 1991).--Dawn Amsberry, Oakland Public Library, CA