TROUBLE

A story about making friends and ditching assumptions.

The anthropomorphic squirrel narrator is alarmed when a bear moves in next door, immediately assuming this new neighbor is Trouble with a capital T. The squirrel lives with a tiny mouse named Chamomile, who acts as a quasi-child and who brings out protective feelings in the squirrel as they overhear noises from the other side of the wall that divides their apartment from the bear’s. Readers privy to a cross section of the building will see that the bear is not doing anything alarming and that the squirrel’s fears are unfounded. Chamomile also discovers this truth before the squirrel does and befriends the bear. When the squirrel can’t find Chamomile after an encounter with the bear at the supermarket and fears the worst, those fears are put to rest with a scene of peaceable tranquility in the bear’s living room, and the squirrel eats crow. Next on the menu are tea and cookies shared among the trio of new friends. “Don’t judge a book by its cover” is the clear message, but readers would do well to judge this book by its eye-catching art. Starting with the cover, it offers playful cartoon characterizations, and the incorporation of collaged photos of teapots and other items from the real world underscores the real-world application of the story’s heartfelt message. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at 20% of actual size.)

Trouble yourself to check this one out.