What do you think?
Rate this book
The Busy Little Squirrel with Read Along Cd
The leaves have started to fall. The air is cold. Squirrel needs to get ready for winter. He cannot nibble with the mice. He does not have time to hop with the frogs or run with the dogs. Will this busy little squirrel ever slow down?
Focusing on all the charming features of the fall season, this sweetly illustrated story features country animals, pumpkins, leaves, apples and other signs of autumn. Now available as a sturdy board book, the newly redesigned Classic Board Book logo calls out this title's seasonal theme on the front cover.
Focusing on all the charming features of the fall season, this sweetly illustrated story features country animals, pumpkins, leaves, apples and other signs of autumn. Now available as a sturdy board book, the newly redesigned Classic Board Book logo calls out this title's seasonal theme on the front cover.
Audio CD
First published August 28, 2007
11 people are currently reading
669 people want to read
About the author
Nancy Tafuri
67 books57 followersNancy Tafuri is probably best known as the creator of Have You Seen My Duckling?, a 1985 Caldecott Honor Book described by Parent’s Choice as “beautifully precise yet emotionally affecting.” Trained as a graphic designer, Tafuri has authored more than 45 books over 30 years for the very young.
When Tafuri first attempted picture book illustration in the late 1970’s picture books were aimed at five-, six-, and seven-year-olds. Tafuri’s images were considered “too graphic” for children that age. “The pictures are too big,” she was told over and over about the large, colorful shapes she drew. Finally, Tafuri’s talent was recognized and tapped at Greenwillow Books, Harper Collins Publishers.
Since then she has had the opportunity to work with Scholastic Press, Scholastic Inc., Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division and most recently Little, Brown Books For Young Readers, Little, Brown and Company.
Tafuri was born in Brooklyn, New York. For the first ten years of her life she was an only child and says that this helped her to learn to entertain herself with stories and art.
Tafuri entered the School of Visual Arts in New York City in 1964. Her first job was as an assistant art director for the publishing firm Simon & Schuster. She left two years later and married Thomas Tafuri, a fellow student at the School of Visual Arts.
The Tafuri’s opened their own graphic design studio, in 1971. Their primary product was dust jackets for hardcover books. They opened their business in New York City, but eventually moved their studio and home to Connecticut.
At this time, Nancy was able to devote all of her time to writing and illustration.
When Tafuri finally found herself illustrating children’s books, either her own or other authors’, she felt she had found her life’s calling and a strong sense of joy from creating them. She loves to take a small portion of the text and create a visual representation that children can grasp and remember. In 1989, when Cristina was born, Nancy began to feel even more strongly motivated to illustrate for children. Her work seemed even more important and more personal.
“I feel honored to be creating literature for young children. Seeing how very important the early years are in a person’s life, I can only hope that my books can contribute in some small way to that growth, with the feelings that I hope I project within those pages, through line, color, shape, and story.”
When Tafuri first attempted picture book illustration in the late 1970’s picture books were aimed at five-, six-, and seven-year-olds. Tafuri’s images were considered “too graphic” for children that age. “The pictures are too big,” she was told over and over about the large, colorful shapes she drew. Finally, Tafuri’s talent was recognized and tapped at Greenwillow Books, Harper Collins Publishers.
Since then she has had the opportunity to work with Scholastic Press, Scholastic Inc., Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division and most recently Little, Brown Books For Young Readers, Little, Brown and Company.
Tafuri was born in Brooklyn, New York. For the first ten years of her life she was an only child and says that this helped her to learn to entertain herself with stories and art.
Tafuri entered the School of Visual Arts in New York City in 1964. Her first job was as an assistant art director for the publishing firm Simon & Schuster. She left two years later and married Thomas Tafuri, a fellow student at the School of Visual Arts.
The Tafuri’s opened their own graphic design studio, in 1971. Their primary product was dust jackets for hardcover books. They opened their business in New York City, but eventually moved their studio and home to Connecticut.
At this time, Nancy was able to devote all of her time to writing and illustration.
When Tafuri finally found herself illustrating children’s books, either her own or other authors’, she felt she had found her life’s calling and a strong sense of joy from creating them. She loves to take a small portion of the text and create a visual representation that children can grasp and remember. In 1989, when Cristina was born, Nancy began to feel even more strongly motivated to illustrate for children. Her work seemed even more important and more personal.
“I feel honored to be creating literature for young children. Seeing how very important the early years are in a person’s life, I can only hope that my books can contribute in some small way to that growth, with the feelings that I hope I project within those pages, through line, color, shape, and story.”
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 179 reviews
October 6, 2017
Cute concept, but the repetition goes on a bit too long. It would be nice if there was a little more variation in the wording used, or the punctuation to encourage reading it differently. I used this for a storytime, and although it worked out alright, I had to be a bit inventive with it to make it more exciting.
May 9, 2020
Read at Baby/Toddler Story Time on 11/8/11: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
Read at Baby/Toddler Story Time on 8/21/12: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
Read during preschool class visit on 9/19/12: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
Read at Toddler Lap Time on 10/12/12: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
Read during preschool class visit on 11/2/12: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
Read at In the Trees drop-in story time at the Tenley library on 8/30/13: https://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com...
Read at Moms Club Story Time on 10/9/14: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
Read at a fall-themed story time at my house on 10/7/19: https://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com...
Read at Baby/Toddler Story Time on 8/21/12: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
Read during preschool class visit on 9/19/12: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
Read at Toddler Lap Time on 10/12/12: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
Read during preschool class visit on 11/2/12: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
Read at In the Trees drop-in story time at the Tenley library on 8/30/13: https://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com...
Read at Moms Club Story Time on 10/9/14: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
Read at a fall-themed story time at my house on 10/7/19: https://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com...
February 21, 2016
Wonderful read aloud describing the doings of a busy squirrel, good tie in for the changing of seasons, hibernation and animal interactions in the natural environment. Appropriate for k to 2nd grade.
March 26, 2018
Anything by Nancy Tafuri is delightful.
September 25, 2020
A little squirrel frantically prepares for winter in this autumnal picture-book from author/illustrator Nancy Tafuri. A series of other animals ask him to enjoy the beauty of the season, but the squirrel can't stop, always busy gathering nuts and seeds for his store. By the time evening comes, and Owl asks him to watch the moon, the squirrel is fast asleep in his nest...
Only the second picture-book I have read from Tafuri, after her charming Daddy Hugs , The Busy Little Squirrel is a book aimed at younger picture-book audiences, at toddlers. The text is very simple, with only a phrase per page, and the lovely artwork dominates the page. I appreciated both the visuals here, with the wonderful colors of autumn, and the way in which the simple story imparts basic knowledge about how squirrels gather food for the winter, and start to sleep more often as that season approaches. Recommended to picture-book readers seeking autumnal stories for toddlers.
Only the second picture-book I have read from Tafuri, after her charming Daddy Hugs , The Busy Little Squirrel is a book aimed at younger picture-book audiences, at toddlers. The text is very simple, with only a phrase per page, and the lovely artwork dominates the page. I appreciated both the visuals here, with the wonderful colors of autumn, and the way in which the simple story imparts basic knowledge about how squirrels gather food for the winter, and start to sleep more often as that season approaches. Recommended to picture-book readers seeking autumnal stories for toddlers.
October 3, 2019
Very well received by a pre-school group. 9/27/12
I think I might like this better than Nuts to You!. Used it for a Kindergarten visit and talked about similarities to The Very Busy Spider. Used in Baby/Toddler Lap Time and it also went over well. (Always play Grey Squirrel on Sing It, Stamp It, Say It and shake our tails, or shakers.) 9/25/13
Used with Kindergarten classes and Lap Time. 10/14/14
My favorite fall book for the babies because of the animal sounds.
I think I might like this better than Nuts to You!. Used it for a Kindergarten visit and talked about similarities to The Very Busy Spider. Used in Baby/Toddler Lap Time and it also went over well. (Always play Grey Squirrel on Sing It, Stamp It, Say It and shake our tails, or shakers.) 9/25/13
Used with Kindergarten classes and Lap Time. 10/14/14
My favorite fall book for the babies because of the animal sounds.
September 29, 2009
Great for toddler storytime. This is about a squirrel who cannot hang out with the other animals because he is too busy storing food for the winter. You can make animal noises as you meet each animal, and it has repetitive lines to get kids joining in. Works well with the "Gray Squirrel" song or puppet.
December 18, 2017
It was dull. On top of it it just kept saying the same thing without variation so even an early reader will memorize and get bored pretty quick. The pictures are pretty but nothing special. Also, I'm willing to suspend reality for a quality story, but with so little else to offer, I can't. Owls, cats, dogs, etc would kill and maybe eat the squirrel, not be cool about hanging out with it.
December 10, 2015
Totally unrealistic that a squirrel would have dogs and cats for friends. You can't even say the word "squirrel" around my dogs. They freak out. Sometimes I do it randomly when I want to distract them away from the front door. It doesn't work quite as well as the laser pointer though.
September 24, 2007
Love the illustrations. Great for a fall themed story-time.
October 27, 2022
A fun, repetitive tale that the young ones will enjoy!
Ages: 1 - 4
Cleanliness: nothing to note.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! And be sure to check out my bio page to learn a little about me and the Picture Book/Chapter Book Calendars I sell on Etsy!
Ages: 1 - 4
Cleanliness: nothing to note.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! And be sure to check out my bio page to learn a little about me and the Picture Book/Chapter Book Calendars I sell on Etsy!
November 14, 2007
Beautiful illustrations.
September 22, 2008
Love the illustrations. My daughter loved this book. A great autumn/fall type.
September 24, 2008
The repeated phrase "He was so busy!" is a great way for children to become involved in telling the story. Watch out for the surprise ending!
October 7, 2008
fun book Tate will join in on with the repeative parts.
October 8, 2008
Short story, but good for kindergarten/preschool students. The refrain is excellent for reading together.
April 18, 2009
Nice bright simple pictures and a simple story. A+!
October 19, 2021
Classic fall storytime book, published 2007. Fall to winter, a few words on each page, introduces many animals, repetition
February 15, 2022
I liked it for storytime.
October 24, 2018
There is nothing wrong with this book but I did not get the point of it. Maybe it was just an informative book on how squirrels prepare for winter. I was not really the biggest fan of the book because I like when books how meaning and I do not think this one did.
October 17, 2018
I was very confused as to why this book received the Colorin Colorado until I researched it a little more. I found that this book comes in many different languages which makes it very diverse. This book is great for young children because of the short sentences and the repetition of lines. The book tells a story of a squirrel getting ready for winter and hibernating. Many animals ask him to join them in some activity but he can't because he "is too busy" until he finally falls asleep for hibernation. This book is great for science lessons, too.
October 8, 2018
"SO BUSY."
January 10, 2018
This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!
Fall Festivities Week, Day 3: Hello, everyone! Today’s book is The Busy Little Squirrel by Nancy Tafuri, the story of, well, a busy little squirrel!
As the fall colors come in and the leaves begin to fall from the trees, the busy little squirrel has lots to do! While his animal friends invite him to join them in their fall activities, such as basking in the sun’s rays with the cats or nibbling on pumpkins with the mice, it seems that the squirrel is simply too busy. By the end of the book, the reader can see why: he has been collecting a store of food, and now he has nestled down for a long winter’s nap.
This was a cute fall book for very young readers: it incorporates common animals, the noises they make, and some elements of autumn, yet reads very quickly and easily. The illustrations are nice, full of fall colors that JJ enjoyed. I wish that, at some point, the concept of the squirrel creating a winter supply of food and his hibernation had been explained in the text, but other than that, this is a fine fall book for little readers. Baby Bookworm approved!
Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!
December 19, 2014
When the leaves begin falling off the trees the squirrels get busy but the other little creatures coax squirrel to play with them (much like in The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle).
The mice, the birds, the frogs, the cat, the dog, and the owl each invite squirrel to nibble, to rest, to hop, to nap, to run, or to watch with them.
While going through the story I ask the children to identify what the squirrel is collecting -- an apple, seeds, berries, nuts, and corn.
This is called "Dialogic Reading", which has been found to help a child be ready to read (EMERGENT LITERACY). Here is a link that provides more information: http://www.reachoutandread.org/resour... .
Tafuri's books are always good for sharing -- big and clear and colorful illustrations, soothing repetitive text, and snippets of vocabulary which may be new to the child, and this book includes animal sounds (which children love to demonstrate).
Find some more great books which make use of "repetitive text" here: http://www.ready-set-read.com/2012/10... .
The mice, the birds, the frogs, the cat, the dog, and the owl each invite squirrel to nibble, to rest, to hop, to nap, to run, or to watch with them.
While going through the story I ask the children to identify what the squirrel is collecting -- an apple, seeds, berries, nuts, and corn.
This is called "Dialogic Reading", which has been found to help a child be ready to read (EMERGENT LITERACY). Here is a link that provides more information: http://www.reachoutandread.org/resour... .
Tafuri's books are always good for sharing -- big and clear and colorful illustrations, soothing repetitive text, and snippets of vocabulary which may be new to the child, and this book includes animal sounds (which children love to demonstrate).
Find some more great books which make use of "repetitive text" here: http://www.ready-set-read.com/2012/10... .
September 17, 2018
My almost-four-year-old and I went to the library today to see a play, and afterwards everyone was able to pick out a free book to take home and keep. My son chose this one, which made me happy because I've enjoyed most of the Nancy Tafuri books we've checked out of the library over the years but I don't think we owned any prior to now. Her illustrations are so sweet, and this book really captures the fall season perfectly.
I will say that I think my son is in some ways getting a bit too old now for these books with very simple repeated phrases. I had to add some inference questions of my own to keep him engaged in the story. We talked about the things the squirrel was collecting, what the other animals were doing, etc. How nice that this book provides so much to talk about in the illustrations! His little sister (15 months) is just now reaching the age where this book will be perfect for her, though.
ETA: Read this book to F tonight. The bold illustrations and short, simple text are great for her at 5 months.
I will say that I think my son is in some ways getting a bit too old now for these books with very simple repeated phrases. I had to add some inference questions of my own to keep him engaged in the story. We talked about the things the squirrel was collecting, what the other animals were doing, etc. How nice that this book provides so much to talk about in the illustrations! His little sister (15 months) is just now reaching the age where this book will be perfect for her, though.
ETA: Read this book to F tonight. The bold illustrations and short, simple text are great for her at 5 months.
June 16, 2011
The Busy Little Squirrel is a well paced children's picture book about a squirrel preparing for the winter, and the fun he must turn down in order to complete his task.
Throughout the book, squirrel turns down invitations from mice, frogs, dogs, cats, and owls to have fun. Instead, he must 'squirrel' away food for the winter. In addition to being a fun read for children (who themselves always seem to be 'busy'), there is a lesson to be learned about hard work and perseverence - as well as animals, seasons, and preparation. There is just enough repetition to ensure that children will want to re-read it, and it is well illustrated enough that adults will not mind.
Throughout the book, squirrel turns down invitations from mice, frogs, dogs, cats, and owls to have fun. Instead, he must 'squirrel' away food for the winter. In addition to being a fun read for children (who themselves always seem to be 'busy'), there is a lesson to be learned about hard work and perseverence - as well as animals, seasons, and preparation. There is just enough repetition to ensure that children will want to re-read it, and it is well illustrated enough that adults will not mind.
November 28, 2011
Squirrel is so busy getting ready for winter and collecting food for hibernation that he can't spend time with all his field animal friends. The book employs a predictable story pattern that is easy for young children to follow- a friend asks Squirrel to play and Squirrel says that he's too busy- and the content of the book serves as a good introduction for students learning about seasons, animal, or even issues of responsibility. With illustrations of watercolor pencils and ink, Nancy Tafuri has created images with texture and dimension in an autumnal color palette. Recommended for children from preschool to early elementary, this book is sweet, but nothing particularly special.
June 29, 2016
Excellent choice for fall reading with toddlers and preschoolers. The repetitive text is great for kindergarteners and early readers. The colored pencil and watercolor illustrations are simple, engaging, playful and realistic.
As squirrel gets ready for winter, he encounters many friends (mouse, cat, bird, dog...) who invite squirrel to play with them. But squirrel can't; he is so busy! This story reads nearly identical to "The Very Busy Spider" by Eric Carle.
My 2 1/2 year old loved this story. She is fascinated with the squirrels in our backyard. She also enjoyed finding all the smaller animals on each page (caterpillar, bees, grasshopper, etc).
As squirrel gets ready for winter, he encounters many friends (mouse, cat, bird, dog...) who invite squirrel to play with them. But squirrel can't; he is so busy! This story reads nearly identical to "The Very Busy Spider" by Eric Carle.
My 2 1/2 year old loved this story. She is fascinated with the squirrels in our backyard. She also enjoyed finding all the smaller animals on each page (caterpillar, bees, grasshopper, etc).
January 21, 2016
This is a average, nothing-too-special-or-new book about a squirrel getting ready for winter by gathering food before hibernation sets in. Throughout his endeavors, other animals ask him to join them in their activities. He can't because he is too busy.
After reading this a couple of times, I realized what was nagging me about this story and why it seemed so familiar. Just replace the squirrel with a spider and the author with Eric Carle and you've got The Very Busy Spider book.
Illustrations are okay.
After reading this a couple of times, I realized what was nagging me about this story and why it seemed so familiar. Just replace the squirrel with a spider and the author with Eric Carle and you've got The Very Busy Spider book.
Illustrations are okay.
November 23, 2016
This is a fantastic book to read and the pictures are nice and big and colorful. This is a story about a squirrel get ready for the winter. All the animals were trying to get the squirrel to play with them but the squirrel was too busy to play with them. The squirrel was to busy finding food for storing for the winter at the end of the day the squirrel went to sleep with all his food for the winter. This is a great book to read aloud at the end of the fall season going into winter season. I also like how the story repeated the line. “He was so busy!”
Displaying 1 - 30 of 179 reviews