The Golden Acorn by Katy Hudson

Squirrel is extremely competitive and loves to win but this year the rules for the Golden Acorn Hunt have changed and she can’t compete alone, she must be part of a team. Luckily Squirrel has a fabulous group of friends who are prepared to help her put together a team but none of them are squirrels and they’re not at all fast. Will Squirrel accept their help?

The Story: Squirrel is the fastest in the forest and has won the Golden Acorn Hunt eight times. But this year is different and she must compete as part of a team. Her friends are keen to join her so Squirrel gives them some training. Can Squirrel and her team win The Golden Acorn Hunt? Or are some things more important than winning?

Squirrel’s friends, Beaver, Tortoise and Rabbit, are not as fast and not as agile as her, she has to slow down several times to help them. Squirrel gets more and more frustrated as she struggles to stay with her team and after a while she races ahead and finds The Golden Acorn. But then she realises that maybe winning isn’t as important as friendship so she makes an important decision that could cost her the race…

Squirrel has already found a space on her shelf for the year’s Golden Acorn Hunt trophy, she is so confident that she will win. But when she finds the enormous Golden Acorn she doesn’t experience a sense of achievement, she just feels lonely.

We love Katy Hudson’s illustrations with their earthy autumnal colours. Squirrel and her friends are adorable and we particularly love the illustrations which show them high up in the trees as they attempt to move through the branches, something that is particularly difficult for a tortoise with a shell or a heavy beaver!

This story is great for initiating a classroom discussion about working together as part of a team and appreciating your friends. It also has a great ending, one that can help children to realise that coming first isn’t always as important as looking out for your team.

Age Range: 3 +

Author / Illustrator: Katy Hudson

Thank you to Raintree for sending us a review copy of The Golden Acorn. It incorporates a wonderfully important message into a familiar situation.

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