There Goes The Neighborhood! The Belonging Tree by Maryann Cocca-Leffler

LIFE WAS FINE AND DANDY IN THE BIG OAK TREE ON FOREST LANE. SQUIRRELS LIVED UP, SQUIRRELS LIVE DOWN.

AND IN THE MIDDLE LIVED THE GRAY SQUIRREL FAMILY--PA, MA, AND LITTLE ZEKE....>UNTIL SUMMER ARRIVED AND A FAMILY OF BIRDS MOVED IN.

"THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD!" GROUCHED PA.

The jay birds' raucus squawks drove Ma and Pa crazy, but little Zeke liked their weird songs. Pa sound-proofed their hole with moss, ranting that the Jays didn't belong there.

And it only got worse in the fall, when the Chipmunk family moved in downstairs.

"CHIPMUNKS STEAL ACORNS!" HUFFED PA. "THEY HAVE LOTS OF CRYING BABIES!" ADDED MA.

Ma and Pa squirreled away all their acorns up in the attic, and when autumn set in, the Jay Birds flew south and the Chipmunks began to hibernate. At last the Squirrel family had their tree to themselves. Ma and Pa were happy, but to tell the truth, Zeke missed the cute Chipmunk babies, and he was bored.

But then.... spring came and the Jays and the Chipmunks were back-- as noisy as ever. And even worse, the Beavers move in.

"THEY DESTROY EVERYTHING! EVEN OAK TREES!" ROARED PA.

Pa and Ma have had it. They load up and move across the river into an old maple tree with lots of hollows and quite a few squirrels. Mama points out that Zeke can find lots of nice squirrel friends there. That is all well and good, but Zeke misses his oak tree neighbors, so one evening he slips out and goes across the river to visit.

Suddenly a wild storm comes up and blows down the maple tree. Ma and Pa land in the river, calling for help!

And suddenly their old neighbors come to the rescue. The Blue Jays mount a mission, flying Ma and Pa out of the river, the Beavers quickly come to their aid with one of their quicky constructions, and the Chipmunk family welcome them with hot acorn soup and warm beds of dry leaves. Life's better when everyone works together. Now the Squirrels know who is their neighbor. Soon the Squirrels move back to the safety of the sturdy oak tree, and life is fine and dandy for all--

THE WAY IT OUGHT TO BE.

"A friend in need is a friend indeed" is the powerful theme of Maryann Cocca-Lefler's new The Belonging Tree (Henry Holt and Company, 2020), a parable of true neighborliness that is more than a story of cute animals, one that appeals to one of the better angels of human nature, the urge to help each other. Artist Kristine Lombard's lovely illustrations of forest scenes and humorous animal families make this one a great read aloud for youngsters just learning to work together. With essential themes woven into a charming story, this is a recommended general purchase," says School Library Journal

That Won't Fly! Ewe and Aye by Candace Ryan

EWE LOVED WHEELS AND AYE LOVED WINGS.

Both Ewe and Aye were born to move, but Ewe yearned for wheels, and Aye eyed wings. Ewe is a woolly sheep who fashioned herself a little four-wheeled cart, figuring if She got up enough speed on a downhill run, she could achieve escape velocity and fly through the air. Aye (pronounced like "I") is a kind of lemur called an aye-aye who straps on wings straight out of Da Vinci's drawing book and leaps off the highest objects he can find, trying to soar through the air like a bird.

They both crash land. Aye fails to soar, and Ewe just gets sore.

EWE HAD A FLAT TIRE, AND AYE GOT FLAT TIRED.

Ewe and Aye have to help rescue each other from their failed inventions.

It's not working! They will never get it off the ground this way!

It's back to the drawing board, this time with the two members of this odd couple collaborating to combine wheels and wings. What results is a sort of ultra-light tandem bike with wings. With the two of them pedaling for all they're worth down their ramp, they manage to obtain enough air speed for lift off and find themselves sharing their dream together, flying with the birds, soaring past the clouds. After all, a joint venture worked for the Wright Brothers!

THERE WASN'T ANYWHERE THEY COULDN'T FLY... TOGETHER!

In Ewe and Aye (Hyperion Books, 2014), author Candace Ryan has some punny fun (and some funny puns) with her Ewe and Aye (you and I) doublespeak, which make good sense either way you read some of her clever constructions:

THEN ONE DAY WHEN EWE(YOU) GOT INTO TROUBLE, AYE (I) WAS THERE TO HELP.

Artist Stephane Ruble's ebullient cartoon characters and the strong, bright colors are rather, um, uplifting, as she creates a demolition derby with the pair first experiment with wheels and wings but finally rise to the occasion. It's all good (as Pete the Cat would say) when, in a glorious four-page gatefold, we get to see them lift off and jointly take to the air in full flight through the clouds in their fantastical flying bicycle built for two.