Chipmunk's Quest! Chirp! Chipmunk Sings For a Friend by James Swenson

CHIPMUNK LIVED ON A ROCK.

MOST DAYS SHE SAT ON THE ROCK, CHIRPING FROM DAWN UNTIL THE STARS SHONE DOWN.

She chirped happy songs, bittersweet songs, and some days her songs were quite sad. Rock was a solid friend, listening faithfully, but what Chipmunk really wanted was a partner to sing songs with her, so one day she took leave of her friend on a quest to find someone to sing.

She met a pinecone who agreed to join rock in their special place, and Chipmunk joyfully carried Pinecone back to Rock's resting place.

BUT PINECONE'S TALENTS, LIKE ROCK'S, WERE OF THE LISTENING SORT.

But Chirp longed, not for another friend to listen, but a friend to sing with her. The quest was long. She met a nice log who agreed to join Rock and Pinecone, but try her hardest, Chirp could not budge Log. Exhausted by her failure, Chipmunk began to sing a bittersweet song. Raccoon heard the beautiful song and agreed to help move Log to Rock's place, but the two of them were not up to the job. But at least Raccoon joined Chipmunk in a sweet but sad song, one that so moved Moose that he came to see who was singing.

And Moose did it! Once he got Log rolling, he rolled all the way to Rock's spot. And now when Chip sings all her songs...

RACCOON AND MOOSE SING ALONG TOO.

In James Swenson's just published Chirp!: Chipmunk Sings for a Friend (Simon and Schuster, 2021), illustrated affectionately by celebrated artist Scott Magoon, finding a friend doesn't necessarily come easily, but while music is good, music with friends is the best.

As Booklist points out, "Nicely phrased and using repetition effectively, the text is strongly in touch with young children’s impulse to befriend inanimate objects that come alive in their imaginations."