Squirrel’s New Year’s Resolution
Pat Miller, Author
Kathi Ember, Illustrator
Albert Whitman & Company, September 2010
Suitable for: Ages 5-8
Themes: New Year’s Resolutions, Holidays, Helping Others
Opening/Synopsis: Squirrel pinned up her brand new Nut-of-the-Month calendar. “It’s January first, “the radio said. “A great day to make a resolution.” Squirrel is puzzled because she doesn’t know what a resolution is. She visits her woodland friends, Bear, Skunk, Mole and Turtle to ask them what it means to make a resolution. They share with her their resolutions and she begins to help her friends with their resolutions. Squirrel still hasn’t thought of a resolution for herself.
Why I Like this Book: The story has a very lovable and generous protagonist who thinks about helping others before herself. There is a wonderful forest of animal characters, including a bear who is a librarian. Miller’s book is a great way to introduce children to the significance of a New Year and discuss resolutions. Ember’s acrylic illustrations are warm and friendly. Activity: Normally we don’t think about including children in making a resolution. Have your children or students list 3-5 items that they would like to do in the coming year to improve themselves. They can be as simple as trying new foods, reading to a younger sibling, helping an older neighbor take out the trash, and trying a new activity, musical instrument or sport. Teachers may want to begin the New Year by having their students discuss ways that they can improve their classroom. Create a doable list and follow the progress the remaining school year.
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Children's Books Heal 
What a great book for the beginning of the new year! I like the “nut of the month calendar”! I have to think of resolutions for me! Happy New Year!
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Erik, a lucky find for the new year. I loved the “Nut oft he Month” calendar too. Fun book for kids. Thank you.
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I should have know you would find a picture book about New Year’s resolutions, Pat! Can you believe I’ve never seen or read one? I was thinking it would be a great niche to fill because I didn’t know of any, and here you’ve gone and found one for all of us! This book looks really cute and I think it’s especially valuable because there aren’t as many books about resolutions as there are about Christmas, Halloween etc. and it’s an important concept. Thanks so much for sharing this! I’m really glad to have it on the list!
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Susanna, I found it at the library as it was being returned. I was thrilled because I wanted to find a fun and meaningful book on New Years for kids. Yes, it is a nice addition to the list. Glad you liked the selection.
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Looks like a fun book with all those animals. It’s a great idea for children to set a few goals for the new year too.
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Stacy, I agree with you. Wished I had done this with my daughter.
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What a delightful-sounding book — and a great introduction to the “New Year” for kids. (Love the “Nut of the Month” calendar!)
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Thank you Beth. I thought it was a great intro for kids.
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What beautiful illos too, I am so looking for this while it is relevant. Happy New Year!
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Catherine, all of the illustrations were beautiful. Very colorful and appealing for children, with a great message about doing for others.
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Hi Pat! Perfect selection for this week! I will have to check to see if they have this at our library. It sounds adorable! I am in the middle of working on a Happy New Year painting and it is starring…squirrels 🙂
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Thank you Loni. I just happened to be in the library as the book was returned. Great synchronicity. Would love to see the New Year painting — I hope you post. — Pat
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Pat, you were definitely in the right place at the right time to find this book!
I love the idea of a bear who is a librarian, in essence, a li-bear-ian. Fun!
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Thanks Cathy. I really loved this book. Hadn’t thought of li-bear-ian! Cool!
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What a loveable book! Loved your ideas for children starting a New Year. You had me at Nut-of-the-Month Calendar….lol. Thanks for such a lovely choice Pat.
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Diane, it’s a charming book and I enjoyed the story very much. I liked the idea behind it. – Pat
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How do you know about all of these awesome books?! Honestly, they are fabulous! You find EVERYTHING about EVERYTHING and I love it!
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Thanks Leigh. This one was a chance encounter at the library. Someone was returning it as I was searching. I do research a lot of books. I am gla you enjoyed it — I had fun with this one!
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Thanks for letting me know about my blog comments-not sure why you can’t comment?
What an adorable book! Thanks for sharing that title.
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Stacy, thank you for visiting. I was able to leave a comment once I clicked on your blo here.
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I am fond of squirrels–and resolutions. Will have to check out this book!
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Thank you Anamaria for stopping by. It was a fun book for New Years.
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This seems like a valuable new years book to read especially for kids. 🙂 I love the resolutions you imagined for kids as well. As resources..
Thanks for sharing. 🙂
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I wrote this review two years ago, and yet in the past few weeks I’ve had over 300 views of this post and I don’t know why. Did you look it up? Is it appearing somewhere else?
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Every New Year’s Eve after dinner, we go around the table offering our good wishes for the new year as well as sharing what our resolutions are. I think it’s a wonderful idea to include children in this. With so much of their lives stretching before them, it’s the perfect time to make plans to improve or learn new skills. I’ll be adding this treasure to my bookshelf.
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I’m so pleased you liked this book. I reviewed it so long ago, but I receive so many searches for it every year. I now encourage our children and grandchildren to focus on things that are related to topics of kindness to others — something outside of themselves that is attainable.
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