No No, Baby!

Hunter’s humorous look at youthful energy kicks off in a forest where not everyone is a morning creature. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed absolutely describes Baby Squirrel, who comes in hot like clockwork each morning, exuberantly greeting the day—and all of the forest animals—before zipping around to each by way of seeking a bit of breakfast. Baby is met with a refrain of “No no, Baby!” at every stop, but the rodent perseveres. When a particularly insistent visit to Owl proves too much, Owl’s outburst sends Baby scurrying back to the family tree hole, “where no one would be bothered.” But Baby Squirrel’s absence the next morning is a disappointing development that all the animals notice and seek to address. Hunter’s closely hatched ballpoint pen and colored pencil artwork in a limited palette highlights Baby’s brown-red fur and the pale blue morning sky at sunrise in this story about loving an enthusiastic youth just the way they are. Ages 3–7. (Feb.)