Don and Roy Freeman Follow a Squirrel Through Washington, D. C. in One More Acorn

Author-illustrator Don Freeman is best known for Corduroy, the classic picture book about a teddy bear who lives in a department store and longs for a home. He created many memorable books in his lifetime, but one of his most cherished ideas never saw the light of day until last year.

As his son, Roy Freeman, explains in a note in the back, his father began working on One More Acorn, a story about a squirrel in Washington, D. C., during a trip to the Capitol in 1963. He spent so much time on it during that trip that he set up a meeting with his editor to talk about publishing the book, but before the meeting occurred, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, and Freeman was too heartbroken to continue the project. It was only recently that Roy discovered his artwork and narration for the story, and with the help of artist Jody Wheeler, he brought his late father’s book to fruition.

One More Acorn is a beautifully illustrated tale about a gray squirrel – the father of his family – foraging for acorns to help his family get through the winter. As he darts here and there, hoping to find the nuts he buried weeks ago, fiery leaves surround him on every tree – and on the ground as well. He finds plenty of acorns, but he has his eyes on a particular prize: one extra-large nut he remembers finding long ago. Getting to it will require agility and cleverness.

Meanwhile, although the text only identifies the Washington Monument, the illustrations offer a charming tour of several of Washington, D. C.’s most prominent landmarks. Along with the interesting setting is a subtle message about the value of trees. Earl the Squirrel stumbles upon a Plant a Tree parade, and we see schoolchildren planting saplings. Then, of course, there’s the fact that he and his family live in a tree and that trees provide his food. A tree also helps him to get out of a tight spot toward the end of the book.

The story here is simple but enjoyable. There’s a soothing repetition to his interactions with his family, and it’s fun to get the squirrel’s perspective n things. For instance, when he sees the children doing their planting, he speculates that they, too, are on the lookout for acorns.

One More Acorn has a very realistic look to it, and while Earl and is family are anthropomorphized, they look and act as normal squirrels do. On one level, this is a little story about a squirrel preparing for cold weather, but it’s also a sort of love letter to the nation’s Capitol, whose atmosphere and excitement is beautifully captured here. If you got a kick out of Corduroy, you’ll want to have a look at this unique father-son collaboration.

Earl the Squirrel Tries to Assert His Independence

Last Thursday was Squirrel Appreciation Day. In celebration of that, I posted several squirrel-related reviews, and it got me wondering what books might be out there involving my favorite bushy-tailed creatures. I went searching the online catalog of my local library system, and I came up with several goodies. One of them was Earl the Squirrel, written by Don Freeman, the author of the much-loved Corduroy, about a dilapidated teddy bear in a department store who longs for a home of his own.

Earl is a young squirrel who lives in a tree with his mother. He has a comfortable existence - too comfy, his mom fears. She demands that he go out and learn how to fend for himself, and that doesn’t mean mooching acorns off of the sweet girl whose house is nearby. But Jill is Earl’s friend, so it’s only natural for him to want to visit her, and when she surprises him with a scarlet scarf that she made herself, he’s sure that he’s found the perfect acorn-collecting tool.

The jacket describes Freeman’s illustration style as “bold, arresting scratchboard art.” It definitely gets one’s attention. The pictures are entirely in black and white, with the exception of the red scarf, which stands out in vibrant contrast to its colorless surroundings. The color red also comes into play in a rather alarming fashion when Earl disturbs a bull reclining under a tree laden with acorns.

I love the illustrations in this story, as Earl is a very cute fellow clearly recognizable as a gray squirrel of the sort that is known to mooch peanuts off of visitors to parks in Pennsylvania and many other states. His almond-shaped eyes are shiny and expressive, accentuating his innocence. Meanwhile, his mother has a sharper look to her. She’s a nagging sort of creature, and it’s easy to imagine the stream of high-pitched chatter emanating from her mouth.

The message of this story seems to be that Earl is more self-sufficient than his mother believes and that she ought to back off and allow him to live as he chooses. Earl, for his part, decides in the end that, as much as he admires Jill’s scarf, he no longer needs it in order to conduct his scavenging duties. That’s all well and good.

What’s not so great is the way he comes upon his hoard - by ignoring the advice of a wise owl and scampering off onto a sleeping bull’s back. This seems foolhardy and inconsiderate. Granted, he never hears the owl’s warning, but that just goes to show he’s not much of a listener. And frankly, he’s not very practical. His plan is evidently to go back to the tree every day and return with one or two acorns. If he kept the scarf, he could transport the stash much more efficiently.

Despite this issue, I find Earl the Squirrel an appealing story, especially for anyone who is nuts about squirrels like I am. Earl could possibly use a knock or two to the noggin, but I’d be glad to have a furry fellow like him hobnobbing with me.