MORE AMAZING TRUE STORIES OF PEPITO THE SQUIRREL

A squirrel and the retired doctor who saved him continue their story in this picture-book sequel for backyard nature lovers.

Pepito the Squirrel, who was rescued from an injury by a human, enjoys his life outside, near that human’s house. The doctor and his husband are renovating the place, and they’re happy with Pepito’s antics but wish there were more squirrels in the yard. When Pepito briefly goes missing, his rescuer worries, but the animal returns with a friend with a very short tail: Colita the Squirrel. The two are soon joined by more multicolored pals: “grey, black and brown, / And, even once, a blonde squirrel was found!” Erebia describes a yard full of gardens and birds as well as Pepito’s favorite spaces, such as a mossy patch where the squirrel does cartwheels. As in the first book, the digitally altered photographs are a highlight, and this sequel features several pages of multipaneled images so that readers can imagine Pepito in action. Erebia’s scansion is consistent throughout, although some sentences are arranged a bit awkwardly to achieve rhymes (“The men were renovating, a Dutch Colonial / Where Pepito worked out, his tendons peroneal”), and the occasionally challenging vocabulary makes the book best suited to older readers or families reading together.

Armchair animal watchers will enjoy the outdoor sights in this installment.