When a squirrel called Jed is picked up by a hawk but manages to escape, his friends Ts-Ts and Chai go after him, navigating outside their realm by using landmarks and "buzzpaths" (power lines). Miraculously, they find Jed, but they also find three humans with noisy equipment they're using to clear tree branches away from the buzzpaths, destroying squirrels' homes in the process. Jed, Ts-Ts, Chai, and their new friend Tchke race home to try to convince everyone to move before the humans come, but their tale is so unbelievable they realize they have to make it into a game in order to mobilize their community.

A marvelous animal adventure tale and survival story, filled with friendship, danger, courage, and squirrel humor.

See also: The Hedgehog of Oz; Violet and Jobie in the Wild

Audiobook narrated by the incomparable Jessica Almasy (Clementine, Falling In, etc.).

Quotes

That's what disasters do sometimes, They throw us together with those who are our adversaries. Who play for a different team. For a short time, a common enemy dissolves our differences and makes us realize what we share. (106)

He could be anywhere. Absolutely anywhere. How do you know when it makes no sense to keep looking? (136) ( )

Cute story about a lost squirrel ( )

Loved it! ( )

Jed the squirrel has quite an adventurous tale to tell after escaping from a hawk's talons and surviving a long fall. Luckily, the scenario is seen from a distance by his friends and they come to look for him. They must find their way home and quickly, for they find humans are cutting the trees near the buzzpaths, their "highways" and their homes are in the way. Somehow, they must convince their friends and families to move quickly out of danger. This 259 page book is a good book for animal lovers, grades 3-5. ( )

Adorable story told from the point of view of the squirrels. Really great message about the environment and how vital trees are to all of us (humans included). Full of humor - a orphaned squirrel, trying to describe how her family got "flattened" to squirrels who knew the forest only..."it would be like getting in the way of a huge boulder rolling down a hill. You would be smashed. Flattened. It happens fairly often because they move so fast, you cant get out of their way. They come out of nowhere and, BAM." "Crikey," said Jed. I loved the humor in this book. ( )