Hooray for Spring!

Famiglia Scoiattoli

by Kazuo Iwamura

What child doesnt love the first signs of spring? Its spring, and the world is full of new leaves, and cherry blossoms, and hungry baby birds. Mick, Mack, and Molly can see that caterpillars like to eat leaves, and bees like to suck nectar from the blossoms, but what can they feed a hungry young chick?

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Storytime, Animals, Birds, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1988

About the author

Iwamura was born in Tokyo and studied industrial arts at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. He is the illustrator of many best-selling picture books in Japan.

Reviews

[Ailish O’Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was kinda unremarkable but we liked the pictures and the springtime vibe 🌸🌷

[Chance Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's mostly squirrels trying to force-feed a baby bird who is having none of it, but that's just what squirrels would do isn't it?

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here is the story of three squirrel siblings who happen upon hungry baby bird. The poor bird looks so miserable, they try to think of what to feed it. But, they can only think of things they eat like pinenuts and raspberries. What, oh what, will a baby bird eat!? When they finally see mama bird return with the baby bird's meal, they are amazed--and maybe a little grossed out! ;-p

Japanese author and illustrator Iwamura notes in his bio that he is interested in watching animals and what they eat. He wanted to express some of this wonder and discovery through the story of the squirrel siblings who realize that theirs is not the only way to eat. A nice message! However, the story itself is a little unremarkable. Perhaps it lost something in the translation. I did enjoy the illustrations--the baby bird is so cute and the colors are wonderful!

[Karen Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

A darling story sure to appeal to children of all ages. Beautifully illustrated, it’s the perfect amount cute and funny. Perfect for a quiet moment or bedtime story.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two titles have come to my attention that are perhaps confusingly similar – both from the same author, same publishing house. They're part of the same set, too. "Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring!" is a wonderful look at the end of winter, as three squirrel siblings have a dramatic escapade courtesy of all the snowmelt in their forest. What's even better is the sustained rhyming narrative, making this a joy to read – and the great visuals don't hurt much, either. "Hooray for Spring!" has the three critters enjoying their nature discoveries, until they spot a hungry little chick, and cannot for the life of them find anything suitable for it to eat. It's a charming piece itself, but on the back of the first book you cannot hope but regret the verse format did not come along for the ride too. Five stars for the poetry and drama of the longer title, but still a strong four for its follow-up. The whole year is available across multiple other volumes, so surely this is a set to collect and adore.

[Storywraps · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three adorable little squirrel siblings are excited because spring has finally arrived. Off they scoot to observe and enjoy the new season. They discover a caterpillar eating leaves and bees sucking nectar from cherry blossoms. They encounter a baby bird that is alone and hungry. What food can they offer to appease that wee one's hunger?

Mick, Mack, and Molly are adorable, concerned and caring little squirrels. When the baby bird's mommy swoops in she brings with her the perfect food for her baby. The trio are surprised to learn what little birds eat. They then head home to share their spring adventure with their parents.

This delightful book celebrates the season of spring and all the new exciting things that transpire when it arrives. The illustrations are gentle and soft and the colour pallet is perfect. This book is wonderful for beginning readers to enjoy all on their own. I love the book and highly recommend it.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hooray for Spring! is the first book I've ever read from Kazuo Iwamura thanks to an eARC of the latest edition from Netgalley, but I sincerely hope I'll get the chance to read more of his work.

Hooray for Spring! is a cute little story about three squirrel children enjoying a beautiful spring when they come across a hungry baby bird. They want to feed the baby but aren't sure what baby birds eat. It's a fairly simplistic story, but it's very cute and a touch educational. The real highlight of this book for me is the illustrations. The squirrels in their little outfits are so unbelievably cute and remind me of all the wonderful anthropomorphic woodland creatures I grew up loving. The nature art is somehow even better, offering up some truly gorgeous illustrations of spring wildlife.

I would definitely recommend Hooray for Spring! to lovers of gorgeous illustrations, lovers of cute animals, and lovers of spring, ideal for ages 4-7.

[Sirah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mick, Mack, and Molly are excited to venture out into a spring day. They discover all sorts of interesting creatures and plants, but when they find a hungry baby bird, they can't figure out how to make him feel better. They try everything they can think of, but springtime has a way of taking care of its own.

Illustrated by a renowned artist, this sweet picture book highlights some favorite parts of the season, matched with playful dialogue perfect for the youngest readers. While there isn't a strong conflict, the story has a lot of movement, making it a fun choice for curious youngsters or teachers looking for a seasonal read.

Thank you to North South books and NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and NorthSouth Books Inc. for a copy of "Hooray for Spring!" in exchange for my honest review.

This book has cute illustrations that will appeal to young children. Mick, Mack and Molly are squirrels who are happy for spring. They see all of nature coming back to life - caterpillars and bees are everywhere. They find a baby bird, who they think is lost and they want to feed him. They try pinecones, sweet cherry blossoms, acorns, raspberries, mushrooms, walnuts and milk but the baby bird doesn't want any of them. Soon the mama bird arrives back with a worm and the baby bird happily eats that.

[Jill Downs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hooray for Spring is a delightful story young readers will love. Spring has arrived! While Mick, Mack and Molly are bustling through their tree hopping from branch to branch, they discover a baby bird. As they spend time naming possible things they could feed the baby bird, they come across many things other babies in nature eat. Soon Mama bird swoops in with a big, fat, green worm. Just right for her baby bird.

I love this series. Perfect for young readers K-2.

Thank you to NetGalley and NorthSouth books for inviting me to read this picture book in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This children's book about squirrels, Mick, Mack and Molly and the adventures they get up to, is cute and fun. The illustrations are beautiful and help tell the story. As the title suggests, it is a great book to get you into the spirit of the changing season and remind us all that there is beauty and joy to come. There is also a bit of an educational value in that there is some information about squirrels and what they eat, how they survive winter etc. I would recommend this book for young readers in the age 4-7 range. Thank you NetGalley, and the publisher, North South Books Inc for giving me the chance to read Hooray for Spring!

[Suzan Ball · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spring is a wonderful time for new discoveries as Mick. Mack and Molly climb the cherry tree, and learn what caterpillars, bees, and baby birds find delicious to eat. The squirrel siblings could not be cuter as they explore the changes in their world with the new season. This book is a reissue with a timeless, not dated feel with gently colored illustrations which make it a good choice for a school library, the children’s section of a public library, or a gift for a child to share with grandparents or other caretakers.

[Riska (lovunakim) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley for give me a chance to read this book.
Thank you for the author Kazuo Imamura for make this book super cute and heartwarming.

This book tell about squirrels family. 3 squirrel cubs named Mick, Mack and Molly were happy to welcoming spring. They are climb to cherry blossoms tree and found a baby bird. Baby bird is so hungry but they don’t know what kind of food the baby bird likes.

The illustration is so cozy and beautiful, I love reading while staring at the pictures. Beautiful stories.

[Claire Sylvestre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute story! Lovely illustrations.

I really enjoyed Hooray for Spring by Kazuo Iwamura and trust it would be read over and over by children.

The story is about three squirrels siblings playing in the forest and found a hungry baby bird. They try to feed him different things they find but the baby bird won’t have any until his mother comes with something he really likes. Lesson learned!

Thank you NetGalley and North South Books for allowing to review this book. I would highly recommend it.

[Cherlynn | cherreading · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐

Super cute and adorable book that follows 3 young squirrels who encounter a baby bird on their day out. The illustrations and so lush and gorgeous that you feel like you are in the woods surrounded by nature yourself. I also love the mentions of cherry blossoms as they rarely come up in books. Wish there was more meat to the story, but this book would be ideal for kids.

Thank you North South Books for the Netgalley ARC.

[Laura (Bookworm Extraordinaire) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh! I loved reading about Mick, Mack, and Molly's springtime adventure! This is the perfect book to read with little ones during spring! These young squirrels are endearingly inquisitive and eager to learn! I truly enjoyed the artwork and the dialogue was perfect! This entire book captured the beauty of new life in the spring! I definitely want to read all of their seasonal adventures during story time at the library!

[Nikki Kwon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley, NorthSouth Books, and Kazuo Iwamura for sending me a digital copy for review.

Mick, Mack, and Molly venture into the wild to explore their surroundings during spring.
I had to read it a few times to figure out the plot of the story because I felt everything is happening all at once.
The book contains cute illustrations, but so many characters in the story make it overwhelming to read.

[Susanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author, NorthSouth Books and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was not familiar with this series, and fell in love with the beautiful illustrations and the fun story about three squirrel siblings that encounter a baby bird. The kids I read this with loved exploring the details on each page, with blossoms, bees and other signs of spring, and the dialogue between the three siblings.

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three young squirrels are admiring all the wonders that occur in spring when they find a hungry baby bird. They kindly attempt to feed the poor creature, but it's not very interested in eating their offerings. Boy, are they surprised when Mama Bird shows up with lunch!

This is a sweet, simple story with gorgeous illustrations by the author. I only wish it had been longer.

Thanks to NetGalley and NorthSouth Books for sharing.

[Donna Maguire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that the illustrations in this story were lovely and they really brought the story to life. Mick, Mack and Molly are three little squirrels who head out to investigate now that spring has finally arrived and they find out what baby birds like to eat. I liked that the story rhymed in places, it was well written and easy to follow and understand. It is 4 stars from me for this one - highly recommended!

[Capn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wir lesen die deutsche Ausgabe. Na ja, es war nur zufriedenstellend. Es fühlte sich an, als hätten sie einen einzigen, schwachen Witz über ein ganzes Buch gezogen. Und ich sah nicht ein, warum die Eichhörnchen in jeder Situation so geschockt aussehen sollten. Vielleicht konnte er nur überraschte Eichhörnchen zeichnen? Natürliche Elemente waren besser. Insgesamt: harmlos.

[T.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Join the cutest squirrel trio whose names are Mick, Mack, and Molly while they explore and adventure when Spring brings. This is the perfect book for a morning basket or to add to your shelf to read all spring long.

Thank you NetGalley and North South Books for the opportunity to receive and read this cute read aloud book.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three little squirrels celebrate the coming of spring. What can they find on spring? Once they got home, they told their parents about their adventure. This book is easy to read and understand even for little children. Completed with wonderful illustrations, reading with kids will be an enjoyable one.

[Hayli Netterlund · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is beautifully illustrated. The pictures had me dreaming of a warm, spring day. The book was endearing, but I noticed a mistake or two and the story was very simple. Nevertheless, my children and I did enjoy reading it together.

[Sourimak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un très bel album sur les différents régimes alimentaires. Les illustrations aux ambiances chaudes et printanières offrent un cadre très poétique à ces adorables petits écureuils curieux en quête de nourriture pour un oiseau.

[zaikanshu · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very adorable read for children. The illustrations are gorgeous, I love how the color tones vary everytime the trio change spot from one tree to another. Thank you NetGalley and North South Books Inc for the copy

[Amanda Murphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book definitely has a retro feel to it, especially the illustrations, which I loved. The other book by this author-illustrator is rhyming and prefer the no nonsense text of this one. All in all, this was a fun little read that kids would probably enjoy enough to choose it over and over.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher.
Three squirrel children find a baby chick. They try to feed it all of their favorite foods, but nothing works. After its mother returns and feeds it, the three squirrels go home to tell their parents what they learned.

[thewoollygeek (tea, cake, crochet & books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so beautiful, illustrated by a renowned artist, this picture book highlights Spring pairing it with playful language perfect for young readers.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three squireels enjoy the new signs of spring including seeing a baby bird. Preschool and up