Nuts to You by Lynne Rae Perkins

When humans say "nuts to you!" it's usually meant in an insulting manner.  But when squirrels say it, it can be a warm welcome, a fond farewell, or an expression of well wishes.

That's just one of the many things I learned about squirrel culture in Nuts to You, by Lynne Rae Perkins.  The story centers around four friends: Chai, Jed, Jip, and TsTs  (TsTs is the most popluar girl name among squirrels).  When Jed is grabbed and carried away by a hawk, the adventure begins.

Jed manages to escape the talons of the hawk through his mastery of the squirrel martial art of Hai Tchree.  From far away back home, TsTs sees Jed drop from the bird's grasp, and convinces Chai to go with her to find Jed.

In the forest, far from their home grove, the friends learn of a danger that threatens the whole squirrel community.  Together, they must return home to warn the other squirrels of the impending doom - which is tricky because squirrels aren't known for their keen attention spans.

Nuts to You is a delightful tale of friendship, community and courage*.  It's also pretty gosh-darn funny.

*And nuts.