Evergreen

by Matthew Cordell

A picture book by Caldecott medal winner Matt Cordell about a timid squirrel who makes a brave journey to help a relative who is ill.

Evergreen the squirrel is afraid of many things: thunder, hawks, and the dark paths of Buckthorn Forest. But when her mother tasks Evergreen with delivering soup to her sick Granny Oak, the little squirrel must face her fears and make the journey.

Along the way, Evergreen is met by other forest dwellers – some want to help her, but some want her mother’s delicious soup! It’s up to Evergreen to stay the course, and those who help her will surprise and delight young readers.

Using an art style reminiscent of the work of William Steig and Arnold Lobel, Matthew Cordell creates a classic tale of bravery and love.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens, Adventure, Nature, Fiction, Humor

48 pages, Hardcover

First published February 7, 2023

About the author

Matthew Cordell is the acclaimed author and illustrator of the 2018 Caldecott winner Wolf in the Snow. He is also the author and illustrator of Trouble Gum and the illustrator of If the S in Moose Comes Loose, Toot Toot Zoom!, Mighty Casey, Righty and Lefty, and Toby and the Snowflakes, which was written by his wife. Matthew lives in the suburbs of Chicago with his wife, writer Julie Halpern, and their daughter, Romy.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ah, the magic of soup.

Evergreen is headed out into the Forest on a quest. Headed out even though she’s afraid. Her Granny is sick and is in need of some soup. So, off Evergreen goes on an adventure filled with friends, foes, highs & lows, and a few surprises along the way.

Readers get to meet all sorts of animals and hear all sorts of sounds. It’s a fun read aloud story that highlights bravery and the rewards of trying and doing something that scares you.

Come see if Evergreen makes it to Granny’s house in one piece with her tasty soup in hand.

p.s. One of my favorite storybook phrases shows up here. A phrase that probably points to the fact that I was a villain in another life. *grins an evil grin* My favorite line…. “Please don’t eat me!”

[Haley Kilgour · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute little book about facing your fears. The twist with the bear was fun.

[Juwita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picked this book to end my 2025. Such a cozy delightful book. I really like the art style! Love the story of Evergreen the squirrel who overcomes her fears and tries to be brave in facing new challenges. Reminds me to do the same, especially in the upcoming new year.

[Sherri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an adventure full of surprising moments. I love the illustrations, soft and sweet. A variety of animal characters and plenty of noises should make this a fun read aloud.

[DaNae · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun picture book adventure story with a number of twists and turns.

[Christian Schultheiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

This gorgeously illustrated adventure/perilous journey we the reader get to embark along with lithe little squirrel evergreen, is not just an empowering tale about facing your fears and going out to experience the wonders of the world, but also an equally important undertone of never judging a book by its cover which i think is just fantastic and something that should be encouraged and instilled in all children

[Victor The Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cuddly and wonderful fable about a timid little squirrel 🐿️ who goes out from her home through a forest to deliver soup for her ailing grandmother, finding many adventurous surprises. From its cosy illustrations and lesson about conquering your fears, “Evergreen” makes for an excellent story. A (100%/Outstanding)

[Pink Leaf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really cute! I experienced it as a read aloud. :)

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite of Cordell’s books. Cute but nothing amazing.

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The rodent version of The Little Train That Could, Evergreen shows what she can accomplish when she puts her mind to it. Turns out that I-think-I-can is a powerful antidote to quell Evergreen’s fears—even more potent than Mama’s soup—as the little squirrel faces big obstacles on the way to Granny’s house. Though long for wee ones, the episodes lend themselves to story time for older listeners and readers. The enchanting artwork invites readers of all ages to join Evergreen on her epic adventure.

[Bethe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evergreen is a timid squirrel, afraid of almost everything in her forest home. Her mama gently insists that she deliver a healing soup to Granny Oak. Along the way Evergreen meets many new friends and overcomes many challenges. A cozy book with an unexpected ending and warm illustrations. Be sure to check out the case cover art for a map of Buckthorn Forest.

[Juli Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A wry little book about facing fears.

[Alexandra Castro-Velez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stories with cute animals and bravery always catch my attention, and Evergreen is one of those memorable journeys. In this book, Matthew Cordell tells the story of a shy little squirrel who overcomes her fears to deliver a special soup to her sick Granny. Along the way, she faces many of her fears and meets new friends and she realizes she had the bravery to do anything she set her mind to. The major themes in the book were courage and kindness. For example, when Evergreen helps many animals along the way, she receives the same help on her way home. Also evergreen shows courage by continuing her journey despite being very scared many times. The main genre of this book is fantasy.Children reading this book could learn about overcoming their fears and how helping others in need is something that you’ll get rewarded with in one way or another. This book was a WOW book for me because it made me remember when I was a very scared child and how much this book would’ve helped me back then.

Two of the literary devices the author used in writing this book were personification and imagery. The author personifies the animals by giving them human life qualities and emotions. He also uses imagery to set the scene in the cool nice forest when he was describing it. These literary devices enhanced the quality of the writing by making the story and characters very relatable and set the scene with the book by the words coming to life.

I would consider this book to be an anti-bias book because it gives a positive portrayal of those who seem small, shy, or like an underdog and demonstrates that they are capable of anything.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book as an adult reader for the AR Diamond Book Award. The illustrations are reminiscent of Arnold Lobel. The story is good overall and it gives the slightest nod towards Little Red Riding Hood. This would be a good book to read and talk about being brave and persevering no matter the obstacle. I think what may discourage young readers from picking this book up is the length and amount of text. Illustrations drawn in pen and then colored in mostly neutral watercolors.

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evergreen's trip to deliver soup to her grandmother forces her to face her fears, even though she is scared. A fun book to read aloud as Evergreen meets various animals along with the scary sounds they make. The illustrations perfectly match the text.

[Nadina · Rating 4 out of 5]

More like a mini chapter book than a picture book, this was an enjoyable read. I liked the simple illustrations and the way it was broken down into parts, useful with the large quantity of text on each page. I loved the plot twist towards the end and really liked all the characters.
Definitely would recommend for kids who have patience for a slightly longer story.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of words

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love! Yes, being fearful is a dreadful at times but this sweet little squirrel needs to get some soup to grandma's so her adventure and her fear go with her.

Sweet and delightful.

[Tiuri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read-aloud.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful story that children will love with a nice nod to the classic Little Red Riding Hood. The theme of overcoming fears is always welcome. The illustrations are expressive and beautiful.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

ADORABLE

[Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, how this reminds me of my beloved Miss Suzy by Miriam Young and illus by Arnold Lobel. ❤

[Kelly Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

We have read this three times on our road trip. Evergreen is such a special book. And the ending really threw us for a loop! We will be coming back to this one many more times in the future.

[andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story about overcoming fear and gaining confidence through challenging circumstances.

[What April's Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute story of a little squirrel named Evergreen overcoming her fears and helping those in need in the process.

[Angie Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick adventure about being brave. Fun for a bedtime story!

[Tiffany Hough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exquisitely illustrated story about a timid squirrel finding bravery. ❤️

[Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to live in this world and drink soup out of an acorn. A great adventure story about finding your courage, with wonderful pictures (no surprise, Matthew Cordell is amazing), and a few fun surprises along the way. Unfortunately too long to read to the storytime crowd I get, but would be perfect for one on one or younger elementary school kids.

[Guilherme Semionato · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://youtu.be/OuhoZj03W8M

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks Bethany!