Squirrels Leap, Squirrels Sleep with Read along CD

by April Pulley Sayre

Squirrels wrestle.
Squirrels leap.
Squirrels climb.
Squirrels sleep.

If you followed a squirrel for a day, what would you see? Climbing branches, storing seeds, making homes in tree holes, and maybe even flying! Acclaimed nature writer April Pulley Sayre's lyrical text, paired with Steve Jenkins's stunning art, offers a glimpse into this fascinating world.

Discover different kinds of squirrels as they scamper, eat, and—finally—sleep.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Nonfiction, Nature, Childrens, Storytime, Science

Audio CD

Published January 1, 2016

About the author

April Pulley Sayre was an award-winning children’s book author of over 55 natural history books for children and adults. Her read-aloud nonfiction books, known for their lyricism and scientific precision, have been translated into French, Dutch, Japanese, and Korean. She is best known for pioneering literary ways to immerse young readers in natural events via creative storytelling and unusual perspectives.

Reviews

[Carol]

When my friend KC wrote a quick review of this book I knew I had to read it. Our wonderful library actually had this book but it was circulating. I guess someone else likes squirrels too. I put it on reserve and patiently waited. Then my time came.

The title tells a bit about what delights you'll find in this beautifully illustrated book. The squirrels will leap and a whole lot of stuff in-between before they sleep. For parents and older children who would like to know more about these fascinating creatures the final section talks about squirrels, their food, their tails, their family and more. There's also a further reading list including a website where you can share your own squirrel observations. www.projectsquirrel.org

In a section called Helping Oaks and Animals
Trees are the best bird and squirrel houses and feeders you can provide. They are likely to last longer and help more animals than anything made with a saw and hammer. So plant a tree!

[KC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Squirrels climbing, flying, nesting, eating, and flying. A chock full of information all about squirrels.

[Bea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute artwork, decent rhyming, the "story" wanders a lot. My class of 1 year olds like the picures but have no interest in the text.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

April Sayre’s delightful children’s book, written in lyrical text, will give young readers an introduction to the activities and habits of squirrels. Steve Jenkins beautiful illustrations add immensely to the appeal of the story. Information about the various types of squirrels and their behavior given at the end of the book will appeal to adults as well as older children.
Thank you to Carol K. for the recommendation!

[Donalyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't miss the hidden illustration under the dust jacket and the additional scientific information about squirrels and their habitats in the back matter.

[The Library Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picture book non-fiction as it was meant to be. This will work beautifully next fall when I'm thinking to do a squirrel themed story time!

[Bruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sayre’s simple rhyming text and Jenkins’s lively illustrations make for an entertaining picture book sure to appeal to toddlers and their parents. More detailed information about squirrels and their habit and habitats is included in last four pages of the book for older readers, along with a plea to plant more trees as an aid to squirrels and other animals. Overall the author and illustrator have done an excellent job.

[Linda Quinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must for squirrel lovers....even squirrel haters will concede this book, with its easy rhymes and beautiful art, gives a lovely overview to the life of a squirrel.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

So cute!! Teaches kids about squirrels, and I love the rhyme and rhythm to this one. Definitely see me reading this at story time.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting art. It kind of reminds me of Erich Carle, but much more sophisticated. Kids should find this pretty fun and pretty educational.

[Jacki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Using poetry, this book provides basic information about the daily activities of squirrels. Even though the rhymes are short, they do provide a good amount of information about squirrels. The last several pages provide more details about the content presented in the poems, for those who want to know more concrete information.

This was a picture book, a poem book, and an information book rolled into one…awesome! I like how subtly factual information is shared…it’s a sneaky way to get kids to learn! The cyclical ending would be good for kids to predict, and they would appreciate the full page spreads of cute squirrels.

[Relyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't love this book, but it was perfect for my Leap Day lessons.

[Hannah Ewing · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was ok. It lacked depth of story and was very simplistic for our taste. Probably wouldn't check out from the library again.

[Virginia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This creative team always delights my senses with the lyrical descriptions of some aspect of nature and those amazing cut- and torn-paper collage illustrations. Since squirrels are animals that are commonly seen in backyards and in the woods, young readers will appreciate this chance to follow them as they go through a day--climbing, balancing, scampering, scurrying, and sometimes even flying through the air. It would seem that they are always moving and gathering food for now and later. The playful text makes it clear that the author has observed more than her share of squirrels and the ways they somehow use their tails as tools, sometimes even shielding them from rain. The last illustration showing a squirrel finally at rest in the nest it has hidden inside a tree hole offers a rare glimpse of the animal when it isn't moving and has finally settled down for a sleep. The back matter provides additional information about the various species of squirrels as well as their feeding habits and the abundance of acorns available during a mast year when there are more acorns than the squirrels can possibly eat, followed by a year in which there are too many squirrels for the amount of acorns, which leads many of the squirrels to move somewhere else. I had never heard of this occurrence, another one of the things I love about these sorts of books. I always learn something new about a species or about the book's topic. Readers also are encouraged to plant trees to help squirrels in the future. Budding scientists will surely leap in joy at all the interesting facts provided in this book, one of those essential purchases for the elementary science classroom library. It is likely that readers will regard squirrels in a slightly different way after reading this book.

[Margaret]

After the last of the leaves fell to the ground this autumn, you can stand in the center of my back yard and see eight squirrel nests. No wonder nearly any time of the day during the summer one or more can be seen scampering across the yard. Sometimes it looks as though two are playing a fast and furious game of tag. It soon became obvious size is not an indicator of dominance. The smallest red squirrel seems to always be chasing the larger fox squirrels.

You would think with winter, by the calendar, nearly a month old all the squirrels would be set for the season but the other day before a particular bout of bitter temperatures, one scampered across the yard with a bunch of leaves to bolster a nest. Watching it move up the trunk, it did not go to one of the many leafy apartments but to a hole in one of the trees. Squirrels Leap, Squirrels Sleep (Henry Holt and Company, November 1, 2016) written by April Pulley Sayre with illustrations by Steve Jenkins is the fourth collaboration by this team combining poetry and art to deliver facts to readers.


My full recommendation: http://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2...

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

SQUIRRELS LEAP, SQUIRRELS SLEEP by April Pulley Sayre is an informational book focusing on common squirrel species.

Easy-to-read text along with descriptive collages provide accurate information for young readers about the lives of squirrels. In addition to the full-page illustrations, many pages also contain close-up images showing common squirrel activities such as sleeping or wrestling. The book concludes with more detailed information about squirrels and their trees.

Librarians will find this book popular among animal lovers and children who enjoy nature. Use the text to jumpstart a citizen science project. To learn more, go to http://projectsquirrel.org/.

To learn more about the author, go to http://www.aprilsayre.com/.
To learn more about the illustrator, go to http://www.stevejenkinsbooks.com/.

Published by Henry Holt, an imprint of Macmillan by November 1, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

[Andrea Lorenz · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you really know me, you know how I feel about squirrels (HINT: it's not good). I picked this up though because of my co-worker who happens to LOVE squirrels and because I love love love Squirrel Girl. April Pulley Sayre and Steve Jenkins are a dynamic duo. They keep hitting them out of the park. Squirrels Leap, Squirrels Sleep is a dynamite informative book. The text is simple, but informative. The pictures are very realistic paper collages that capture different kinds of squirrels in different activities. The back matter elaborates on the text - talking about how squirrels use their tails as tools, where they live, what they do for the earth. AND most importantly for me it has a a stellar bibliography that isn't just a website with other links. I would totally use this in storytime - it's beautiful, informative, and easily readable.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's hard not to be happy with another book from April Pulley Sayre and Steve Jenkins. The two pair so well. Sayre's main poetic text is followed by an extensive afterword describing squirrel behavior and basic biology so thoroughly that it's hard to imagine any average person not being satisfied with the amount of knowledge they would undoubtedly gain. Jenkins's illustrations follow the same collage style that he has employed so often in previous books, and it's such a pleasure to see a master employing his craft again. Beautiful book, one that should certainly find its way into many children's libraries over the coming year. Outstanding.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not surprised that I enjoyed this book thoroughly. I've loved Woodpecker Wham! and Eat Like A Bear from April Pulley Sayre and Steve Jenkins in the past, and now find this book wonderful to read, to view, and to learn from. The rhymes are simple but give good information: "Tail umbrella./Tail as flag./Tail as balance,/zig and zag!" Jenkins' collage pictures amaze with their detail. Because trees play such an important part in squirrels' lives, I loved that he included so many kinds of trees in the illustrations. The leaf shapes themselves could be used for an identification lesson. There is great back matter telling about the different kinds of squirrels, what habitats they prefer and how they live in them. There's also a part of what people can do to help squirrels, plant trees! A bibliography is included.

[Joanne Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Competent rhyme with darling pictures. Maybe a few off-rhymes or inconsistent illustrations, but overall charming and cute as a real squirrel. Good organization of facts keep the rhyming text moving forward and consistently informative. Stylized yet detailed illustrations typical of this artist's past work. Superlative end matter with an educational section for each spread in the book and lots of facts. I liked that the author included facts about acorns and oaks and how they function in the squirrels' ecosystem. Also gives readers a call to action: how to responsibly plan for a healthy plant and animal population. And I'm a sucker for the acorn end papers. Not quite as good as most of the author's other books, but lovable and useful.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sayre, April Pulley Squirrels Leap, Squirrels Sleep, illustrated by Steve Jenkins. PICTURE BOOK. Henry Holt and Company (MacMillan), 2017. $17.99. Content: G

Told in rhyme, this book is a great introduction to squirrels for young children. Children will meet different squirrels, learn how they use different body parts and see what a typical day is like for them. There is much more detailed, scientific information in the back that librarians and teachers can read and use with older students. For preschool children this is a great book that can be used in a fall or squirrel-themed story time or unit of study.

Pre-K, EL (K-3) –ADVISABLE. Reviewer: Nancy W.
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017/...

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steve Jenkins is always great, and his squirrels are spot-on in this book. Both my three-year-old and my one-year-old enjoyed poring over the pictures. The rhyming text is just right for preschool audiences, and there is copious back matter to help adults answer any questions that might arise. My story time audiences tend to prefer fictional stories with simple plots, so for now I'm not sharing this one at story time, but for a willing audience it would be a perfect addition to a squirrel-themed story time, especially in the fall.

[Elizabeth Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This nonfiction text features paper cutout art and a rhyming pattern, but teaches about the varieties of squirrels, how their bodies help them, and what they do. I like what many nonfiction books are doing these days with a combination of narrative writing and then including at the end a more detailed explanation of facts that support the book. My first thought in utilizing this book would be pairing it with Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt. Students could use what they learned about squirrels to see what makes Scaredy Squirrel a “normal” squirrel and what makes him unique.

[Lydia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A year in the life of a squirrel, focusing on highlights, not day to day (so no worries, it is short). Things squirrels regularly do and how they interact with the world around them.

I wasn't super impressed with the pictures / drawings was the reason for only three stars, but this would be a good pick for the animal enthusiast or squirrel lover in the family.

No content issues.

[Megan Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect tot read aloud! I feel like this is been the year of April Pulley Sayre, I've read so many of her books. While Best in Snow is probably my favorite, this one is the perfect combination of rhyming text and illustrations for little ones. The text includes many action words which can be acted out, I always love an opportunity for physical movement during story time. Not too short, not too long, this book is lovely--if only I had a squirrel puppet!

[Joan Arbogast · Rating 5 out of 5]

April Pulley Sayre never ceases to delight. This title is as rhythmic and lively as her others. The lengthy back matter provides tons of information. And Steve Jenkins' cut and torn paper collages are spot on.

a sampling of text: "Squirrels gather. Squirrels store. How many seeds? More, more, more!"
"Squirrels stretch. Squirrels yawn. Munch the acorns. Are they gone?"

[Amy Oberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although they are typically the most pesky of animals (particularly in Central Illinois during the fall season), "Squirrels Leap, Squirrels Sleep" actually caused this anti-squirrel reader to sit up and take notice of their talents and habits. The fall-ish illustrations and simplistic rhymes combine to make for an enjoyable read-aloud, and listeners wanting additional information about squirrels and trees will be pleased with the inclusion of the four page, nonfiction spread at the conclusion.

[Camille Rickis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This adorable rhyming picture book all about squirrels is fun to look at and read aloud, and is also sure to make children want to learn more about squirrels. With illustrations that show how sweet and cute this animal is, children will be ready to make squirrels their favorite animal. The illustrations also convey the meaning of the rhyming text perfectly, and the reflect each other and build off each other.

[Sohyun seo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book explain how squirrels live and what they eat and how they use their parts of body. I think the senteces and illustrations harmonize that children can learnd easy about squirrels. A reason that I think like that is they explain very specific details. It is helpful even for me because I don't know also many things about squirrels. It is interesting because people can get knowledge of squirrel.