One Smart Cookie

Norma and Belly #4

by Mika Song

Silly snack-hunting squirrels Norma and Belly are back! Don't miss their latest hilarious cookie caper in the fourth comic in this award-winning and Eisner-nominated series.

If you had a fortune cookie fortune that “Feed this cookie to a squirrel” would you do it? Norma thinks you would! And she quickly she gets to work devising a plan with friends Belly and Little B to sneak through the MR.FORTUNE cookie factory to get their own fortunes squirreled away inside of the treats.

Follow along on another spectacular caper that goes (definitely not) exactly as planned. With high tech climbing gear (suction cups), computer hacking (lucky password guessing), and squirrels in spy suits, they might just pull this one off and get that sweet, sweet (cookie) reward.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Humor, Animals, Childrens, Fiction, Fantasy, Graphic Novels Manga

112 pages, Hardcover

Published August 15, 2023

About the author

Mika Song grew up in Manila, Philippines, and Honolulu, Hawaii. She moved to New York to attend the Pratt Institute and worked in animation before making children's books. She lives in New York City with her husband and daughter.

Reviews

[Jester, King's Favorite Fool · Rating 5 out of 5]

I keep thinking I'm done with this series, but I'm always back with the next book. I've read all the Norma and Belly books. All were fun, this one included. It seems like every book in the series has a food theme. This one is about fortune cookies. The squirrels have a plan. They will write their own fortune. One that will make the humans feed them cookies.

Personal Rating: ⭐3/5

Note: Using new rating system starting 2025.

[alexander shay · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the cuter volumes of the series, I think. Still a very fast read, but it felt a bit longer than most, maybe due to the amount of dialogue. I still really enjoy the watercolor painting style of the art, and each character is unique in both their appearance and personality. This volume feels a bit more heist/hijinx than the previous ones, in that they aren't after just the food they find, but go on a mission to try and steal all future fortune cookies. As you can tell by the cover, ninja antics are involved.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picked this up randomly because of the fun cover when I was at the library with my kid. Wow- it was the cute, and lighthearted read that I needed! The story was so sweet and the drawing just adorable! It was funny too. Just perfect in every way.

[Lüdi · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars is the only correct rating for this book. For my librarian friends, you must start recommending this to your child patrons

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Norma and Belly are looking for buried acorns when they come across a fortune cookie factory. With the help of Little Bee, who can write and read, they come up with the idea to take over the fortune cookie writing so that all the cookies will direct the humans to give the food to the squirrels. The humans have to do what the cookies say, right? Can the squirrels infiltrate the factory and enact their plan to get more food?

A humorous heist tale that sounds entirely believable for something squirrels could cook up. Have you seen how squirrels used to human food eye people in parks? Believable. They just didn’t bargain on how humans treat fortune cookie fortunes. A humorous graphic novel with short and easy chapters for beginning readers. My niece liked the Pizza story with these squirrels better than this one, but this was still entertaining.

Notes on content:
Language: None
Sexual content: None
Violence: None
Ethnic diversity: The cookie fortune writer is Black.
LGBTQ+ content: None specified.
Other: The squirrel’s break in and takeover is less sinister considering the poor cookie fortune writer is suffering from writer’s block and needs a vacation. The squirrel invasion is just her excuse to do so.

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you like fortune cookies? So do our squirrel friends -- Norma, Belly, Little Bee, and Gramps. This is my favorite since Donut Feed the Squirrels. Here are five things I love about this one:
🥠All four squirrels get in on the action.
🥠The punny humor in the title and throughout.
🥠Their plan to use a message in Mr. Fortune cookies to get more cookies for the squirrels.
🥠The wonderful humorous moment for all ages like they fortune the find that says, "Make like a tree and leaf!"
🥠Tiny details like seeing the wheels turning above Norma's head and that little Epilogue that ties up the ends so well.
If you like graphic novel duos like Narwhal and Jelly, you have to try this series. Just ask Ben Clanton. He gave these books a ringing endorsement saying, "I'm nuts for these sweet and silly squirrels." Couldn't have said it better myself. Thanks, Ben! (Should I have used a period or an exclamation point?😉)

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

First sentence: This is the spot, Belly.
This is where you buried the acorns, Norma?
Yes.

Premise/plot: This one stars a lot of squirrels: Norma, Belly, Little Bee, and Gramps. These are food-obsessed squirrels. In this one the squirrels are interested in fortune cookies and the fortune inside the fortune cookies. They want to write the fortunes inside! Will these squirrels be able to type up the messages? Will they get their hands on cookies?

My thoughts: This one may just be my favorite of the four I've read. Maybe. It was definitely silly and fun

[Lauren Stohler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series, and love this volume in particular!

The squirrels venture into a fortune cookie factory to plant their OWN fortunes, in hope of getting cookies...and it kinda works?! But only thanks to a factory overseer who REALLY needs a vacation (who, in a really cool turn, is portrayed as a real person with real stress, instead of a cookie-cutter (SORRY) 'adult' trope character).

An easy read, but with everything going on in the background, it offers a ton of depth for developing readers.

[Read Ribbet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth in the series by Mika Song featuring four little squirrels who decide in this book to go after some fortune cookies. They invade a fortune cookie factory and hijinks ensue. This graphic novel is divided in relatively short chapters with minimal text and supporting graphics which makes it very accessible for younger readers. The book is filled with humorous moments and many little asides. This would be a great series to get young readers attracted to.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

These squirrels will definitely get young readers giggling. Norma, Belly, Gramps and Little Bee are exuberant, silly and unstoppable. They will leave you looking for more of their antics and adventures!

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

While trying to locate where Belly buried her acorns, Belly and Norma stumble across a fortune cookie factory. Norma has a plan on how to get all the cookies inside shipped to the Osage Orange Tree. Hi-jinks and misadventure are sure to follow.

[Penny Schneider · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable, silly and so much fun! Quick read and just loved all of the silly things these adorable critters get themselves into. Love the sweet and fun illustrations! I can't wait to read more in this series. A reluctant reader will definitely be drawn in by this fun book!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beginning pages introducing the characters was a little confusing, since this is the fourth book in the series and we already know Norma, Bely, Gramps, and Little Bee. Other than that, we're all sad that this is the last one so far!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a cute story about some very determined squirrels lol read it with my son. This is my first book of this author but his second. We will definitely pick up more of her books from our local library

[Ksenia]

Love these books so so much, and this new entry doesn't disappoint!

[Victoria Horn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming as ever! Love these little connivers so much.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious!

[Ellon · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars (I really liked it)

This was so cute! I enjoyed the adventure that the squirrels went on and the ending was great!

[Thomas Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was actually impressed. This was very funny. I loved all three squirrels, though I find it odd that they look so different than all the other no-name squirrels in the book.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who wouldn't like a book about eating cookies!

[Holly Wagner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kids will love this next installment from Norma and Belly. It's really adorable.

[EmberJenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so adorable and fun. :) It's a perfect early graphic novel.

[Karen Hsu · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kids loved this one. It was clever and fun.

[Kayla Zabcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

65%

3 stars because it's for kids and 2 feels harsh, considering some younger kids (7-ish) would probably be into it. it definitely feels like one of those oversimplified beginner reader books.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute comic.

[Belinda Loves Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Squirrels, fortune cookies and fun.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the squirrels discover a fortune cookie, they hatch a plan to get people to give them all their cookies. I love these stories! The plots are clever and the illustrations are fun.

[Debra · Rating 3 out of 5]

These squirrels are active and mischievous!

[Mo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hungry squirrels! So many fortune cookies! Fun, humorous, and sweet!

[Charlie Roberts-Prescott]

fun cheeky little squirrels