Will And Squill (Carolrhoda Picture Books) - Hardcover

Emma Chichester Clark was born in London. She studied at Chelsea School of Art and then the Royal College where she was taught by Quentin Blake. She won the Mother Goose Award in 1988, and is now one of the UK's foremost children's illustrators.

PreS-Gr. 2. In this large-format picture book, a baby named Will and a young squirrel named Squill meet in the backyard. Despite their mothers' objections--"'Awful dirty squirrel!' said Will's mother. "Awful dirty baby!' said Squill's mother"--they become fast friends over the next few years. When Will's parents surprise him with a kitten, he pays more attention to the pet than to Squill for a little while, but soon he misses his old friend. Clark deals with the kitten complication smoothly, leaving the way open for a happy ending. Beyond the satisfying story, the many instances of wordplay and parallel sentences make this text both a challenge and a pleasure to read aloud. The imaginative pencil drawings, brightened with watercolor washes, create a simple, child-friendly world that many will find appealing. Even the impossible details of the squirrel's activities seem quite plausible in the context of Clark's sure-handed illustrations. Add this to the story hour list of picture books celebrating friendship. Carolyn Phelan
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