I AM HUNGRY

This little squirrel is hungry enough to eat a….

The feeder is empty. The yard seems barren, too. The squirrel says, “I’m so hungry I’ll…eat a warm roll, popcorn in a bowl, one plate of steamed rice, two chocolate mice….” This ravenous rodent could eat cheese or peas. Very soon, the squirrel’s imagination runs away with them—the protagonist dreams of eating a fleeing “gingerbread man, a frying pan, a nasty fright, a dark and stormy night.” In the end, the squirrel seems to have found one last peanut from the feeder to satisfy their hunger. Prolific author Rosen reteams with artist Starling for the follow-up to I Am Angry (2021). Instead of a furious, adorable kitten, the child stand-in is an earnest red squirrel. The author’s “Note to Grown-Ups” lets readers know that the squirrel is playing a game and using their imagination. Even so, the conclusion may perplex some. This one isn’t entirely a miss for Rosen, but it isn’t as amazing as many of his others. However, Starling’s cartoon illustrations are silly and wonderful as usual—the little squirrel is an endearing hero, whether making off with ice cream cones, climbing a ladder to nibble on “a bit of the moon,” or darting off with a piece of fried fish while a flock of ravenous sea gulls follows. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A peculiar poem about being peckish.