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The Littlest Voyageur
A red squirrel, Jean Pierre Petit Le Rouge, stows away on a canoe to fulfill his dream of joining a group of voyageurs--men who paddle canoes filled with goods to a trading post thousands of miles away.
It is 1792 and unbeknownst to a group of voyageurs traveling from Montreal to Grand Portage, an intrepid squirrel, Jean Pierre Petit Le Rouge, sneaks onto their canoe. Le Rouge is soon discovered because he can't contain his excitement--mon dieu he is so enthusiastic. The smells! The vistas! The comradery!
The voyageurs are not particularly happy to have him, especially because Le Rouge rides, but he does not paddle. He eats, but he does not cook. He doesn't even carry anything on portages--sometimes it is he who has to be carried. He also has a terrible singing voice. What kind of voyageur is that?
When they finally arrive at the trading post Le Rouge is in for a terrible shock--the voyageurs have traveled all those miles to collect beaver pelts. With the help of Monique, a smart and sweet flying squirrel, Le Rouge organizes his fur-bearing friends of the forest to ambush the men and try and convince them to quit being voyageurs.
Written by a Newbery honor author, the book has over 20 black-and-white illustrations.
A Junior Library Guild Selection
It is 1792 and unbeknownst to a group of voyageurs traveling from Montreal to Grand Portage, an intrepid squirrel, Jean Pierre Petit Le Rouge, sneaks onto their canoe. Le Rouge is soon discovered because he can't contain his excitement--mon dieu he is so enthusiastic. The smells! The vistas! The comradery!
The voyageurs are not particularly happy to have him, especially because Le Rouge rides, but he does not paddle. He eats, but he does not cook. He doesn't even carry anything on portages--sometimes it is he who has to be carried. He also has a terrible singing voice. What kind of voyageur is that?
When they finally arrive at the trading post Le Rouge is in for a terrible shock--the voyageurs have traveled all those miles to collect beaver pelts. With the help of Monique, a smart and sweet flying squirrel, Le Rouge organizes his fur-bearing friends of the forest to ambush the men and try and convince them to quit being voyageurs.
Written by a Newbery honor author, the book has over 20 black-and-white illustrations.
A Junior Library Guild Selection
165 pages, Hardcover
Published March 24, 2020
4 people are currently reading
176 people want to read
About the author
Margi Preus
27 books190 followersMargi Preus is a children's writer. She is a 2011 Newbery Honor winner and won the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature for Heart of a Samurai.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
August 31, 2022
8/21/22 Cute story about a red squirrel who wants to be a voyageur. This was just as enjoyable if not more enjoyable the second time I read it.
8/8/21 Jean Pierre is a little squirrel who wants to be a voyageur so he joins a group of fur traders. How can a squirrel help these fur traders? Where will their journeys take them and what are the men trading?
Give this to young readers and tweens who like animal stories. Or if the fur trade is part of your curriculum,use this for a cute and informative read-aloud.
8/8/21 Jean Pierre is a little squirrel who wants to be a voyageur so he joins a group of fur traders. How can a squirrel help these fur traders? Where will their journeys take them and what are the men trading?
Give this to young readers and tweens who like animal stories. Or if the fur trade is part of your curriculum,use this for a cute and informative read-aloud.
March 20, 2022
Do I adore Margi Preus's junior novels? I certainly do. From the first I became aware of her, after Heart of a Samurai won a 2011 Newbery Honor, I have liked or loved everything she wrote, and The Littlest Voyageur is a welcome addition to her body of works. In May 1792, a red squirrel named Jean Pierre Petit Le Rouge watches men in birch-bark canoes depart Montreal, Canada on the Ottawa River. These voyageurs, stouthearted Canadien men, carry large quantities of goods for trade or sale thousands of miles along a route that crosses the country and into the United States. Our squirrel, Le Rouge, is entranced by the romance of their lifestyle. He wants to be a voyageur, and gets his chance when a canoe paddled by eight men leaves Montreal. Jean Méchant, Jean Paul, Jean Luc, Jean Jacques, Jean Henri, Jean Claude, Jean Louis, and Jean Gentille paddle together down the roaring Ottawa River, their canoe loaded with wares. Jean Gentille has no idea that Le Rouge has stowed away in his vest pocket. The squirrel's craving for adventure is at last going to be fulfilled, though the voyage will be different than he imagined.
Encouraged by the good cheer of his human companions, Le Rouge forsakes Gentille's pocket and takes a spot on the bow, singing the men on to greater effort as they paddle upstream. Other canoes that departed Montreal at the same time are far ahead, but with a bit of exhortation from Le Rouge, surely the men can catch and pass them. Of course, the eight Jeans hear only high-pitched chittering when Le Rouge speaks; they didn't sign up to be chastened by a squirrel, and Le Rouge would have found himself quickly expelled if not for the grace of Jean Gentille. The spirited red squirrel isn't so bad, he tells the others, and surely he won't stay long. Stung by the negative attitude of the seven other Jeans, Le Rouge vows to earn his keep, and an opportunity comes when the men lose track of their route on the river. Finding their way again could take days, even weeks. Le Rouge scampers up a tree and spots some canoes ahead at a distance, and though he can't speak directly to Jean Gentille, the man seems to understand that Le Rouge can guide them. Soon the team is back on the proper river path. Le Rouge's assistance isn't enough for the others to like him as Jean Gentille does, but for now they're not evicting him from the canoe.
Le Rouge can't help paddle, or cook. He can't gather wood for a campfire when the men stop at night to sleep beside or inside the canoe, insulated from rain, snow, and other elements as seasons change during the journey. But Le Rouge is a lift to Jean Gentille's spirits, and makes a habit of curling up on his head to warm Gentille's bald pate after he loses his hat. At the end of the route the trading post in Grand Portage, Minnesota awaits, a bustling community where even the somewhat cloddish Jeans take time to groom themselves before entering. The commerce conducted in the next seven days will make the long trip on the Ottawa River worth the investment, but will Le Rouge be accepted in town? Grand Portage holds secrets that would make any animal uncomfortable—Le Rouge has yet to learn about the fur trade—and the small red squirrel may feel betrayed that even Jean Gentille has a part in the fur industry. Can Le Rouge board the birch-bark canoe and glide home beside the Jeans with a clear conscience? He is no longer the naive creature that hitched a ride out of Montreal in Jean Gentille's pocket. Le Rouge makes a few animal friends at Grand Portage who inspire, amaze, and keep him company in his dark moments. Has he lost his taste for the voyageur lifestyle? If so, is his story at an end, or has it only begun?
Life is a grand, surprising, pungent adventure that calls to each of us differently. Le Rouge answers the call with gusto, deserting the familiar woods near Montreal and throwing himself into a strange new paradigm without a second thought; would that we all heeded adventure's call with such joyous abandon. By turns, the journey fulfills Le Rouge's highest expectations and disappoints him bitterly, but that's life. Some humans enjoy Le Rouge's enthusiasm and grow to love the red squirrel; others would cook him into a ragoût stew if he weren't too speedy to catch. This wide range of responses is an essential aspect of one's life, unpleasant as it is to interact with people who treat you badly. But Le Rouge doesn't learn the most important lesson until he gets a glimpse of a new sort of adventure: family life. Could he settle down and be happy with a lady squirrel, raising a troupe of little ones to release into the world? Would such a future match the glories of being a voyageur? A squirrel gets but one life, so he has to choose carefully how he wants to fill it. Looking back from the perspective of old age, the life adventure you went on is probably drastically different from what you thought you were choosing at the start, but would you trade it for anything else? In the end, what matters is that you enjoyed the ride and found your purpose.
I liked Margi Preus's Heart of a Samurai, and loved Shadow on the Mountain and West of the Moon. Her storytelling resonates strongly with me, revealing emotional truths that refresh and revitalize. I'll rate The Littlest Voyageur two and a half stars, and round up to three. If you could use reassurance that life's twists and turns—even the upsetting ones—enhance rather than spoil it, reach for this book and allow Jean Pierre Petit Le Rouge's narrative to flow through you. I'm glad Margi Preus introduced me to this ambitious squirrel who lived two hundred years before I was born.
Encouraged by the good cheer of his human companions, Le Rouge forsakes Gentille's pocket and takes a spot on the bow, singing the men on to greater effort as they paddle upstream. Other canoes that departed Montreal at the same time are far ahead, but with a bit of exhortation from Le Rouge, surely the men can catch and pass them. Of course, the eight Jeans hear only high-pitched chittering when Le Rouge speaks; they didn't sign up to be chastened by a squirrel, and Le Rouge would have found himself quickly expelled if not for the grace of Jean Gentille. The spirited red squirrel isn't so bad, he tells the others, and surely he won't stay long. Stung by the negative attitude of the seven other Jeans, Le Rouge vows to earn his keep, and an opportunity comes when the men lose track of their route on the river. Finding their way again could take days, even weeks. Le Rouge scampers up a tree and spots some canoes ahead at a distance, and though he can't speak directly to Jean Gentille, the man seems to understand that Le Rouge can guide them. Soon the team is back on the proper river path. Le Rouge's assistance isn't enough for the others to like him as Jean Gentille does, but for now they're not evicting him from the canoe.
Le Rouge can't help paddle, or cook. He can't gather wood for a campfire when the men stop at night to sleep beside or inside the canoe, insulated from rain, snow, and other elements as seasons change during the journey. But Le Rouge is a lift to Jean Gentille's spirits, and makes a habit of curling up on his head to warm Gentille's bald pate after he loses his hat. At the end of the route the trading post in Grand Portage, Minnesota awaits, a bustling community where even the somewhat cloddish Jeans take time to groom themselves before entering. The commerce conducted in the next seven days will make the long trip on the Ottawa River worth the investment, but will Le Rouge be accepted in town? Grand Portage holds secrets that would make any animal uncomfortable—Le Rouge has yet to learn about the fur trade—and the small red squirrel may feel betrayed that even Jean Gentille has a part in the fur industry. Can Le Rouge board the birch-bark canoe and glide home beside the Jeans with a clear conscience? He is no longer the naive creature that hitched a ride out of Montreal in Jean Gentille's pocket. Le Rouge makes a few animal friends at Grand Portage who inspire, amaze, and keep him company in his dark moments. Has he lost his taste for the voyageur lifestyle? If so, is his story at an end, or has it only begun?
Life is a grand, surprising, pungent adventure that calls to each of us differently. Le Rouge answers the call with gusto, deserting the familiar woods near Montreal and throwing himself into a strange new paradigm without a second thought; would that we all heeded adventure's call with such joyous abandon. By turns, the journey fulfills Le Rouge's highest expectations and disappoints him bitterly, but that's life. Some humans enjoy Le Rouge's enthusiasm and grow to love the red squirrel; others would cook him into a ragoût stew if he weren't too speedy to catch. This wide range of responses is an essential aspect of one's life, unpleasant as it is to interact with people who treat you badly. But Le Rouge doesn't learn the most important lesson until he gets a glimpse of a new sort of adventure: family life. Could he settle down and be happy with a lady squirrel, raising a troupe of little ones to release into the world? Would such a future match the glories of being a voyageur? A squirrel gets but one life, so he has to choose carefully how he wants to fill it. Looking back from the perspective of old age, the life adventure you went on is probably drastically different from what you thought you were choosing at the start, but would you trade it for anything else? In the end, what matters is that you enjoyed the ride and found your purpose.
I liked Margi Preus's Heart of a Samurai, and loved Shadow on the Mountain and West of the Moon. Her storytelling resonates strongly with me, revealing emotional truths that refresh and revitalize. I'll rate The Littlest Voyageur two and a half stars, and round up to three. If you could use reassurance that life's twists and turns—even the upsetting ones—enhance rather than spoil it, reach for this book and allow Jean Pierre Petit Le Rouge's narrative to flow through you. I'm glad Margi Preus introduced me to this ambitious squirrel who lived two hundred years before I was born.
May 1, 2020
I loved this delightful story of a red squirrel who wants to be a voyageur. He stows away on a canoe to travel to trading posts along the Great Lakes and, though his intentions are good, gets into one scrape after another, and is misunderstood by all but one of his fellow-voyageurs (Jean Luc, Jean Paul, Jean Henri, et al). As the plot thickens, he enlists other animals to save the day, inspiring them with quotes from Shakespeare and Thoreau. With wonderful illustrations by Cheryl Pilgrim, this one is sure to charm young readers!
June 11, 2020
"It wasn't long before I found myself, nose to the wind, perched on the bow of the canoe. The men dipped and swung their bright-bladed paddles while I called out 'Strrrrrroke!' Again and again, forty to sixty strokes per minute. 'Strrrrrroke!'"
And so begins the story of Jean Pierre Petite Le Rouge-- a small squirrel with a big heart and a thirst for the adventurous life of a voyageur.
The pictures in this book were lovely-- I don't think I would have enjoyed it half as much without the pictures. It is a quick, little read and fun for something light with a little bit of history. The story takes place in 1792 during the time when men called voyageurs "traveled the waterways of what is now the United States and Canada, transporting and trading goods for furs."
The story is told all from the perspective of the squirrel. This makes the story more interesting for children, and Le Rouge is a very lovable character with his enthusiastic somersaults and speeches that no one but Jean Gentille can understand. There is a good deal of French in the book, and there is a pronunciation guide in the back for all the French words and names used throughout the story.
Although it was a very cute and fun story, I thought it was just that. Cute and fun. Not too much to think about afterwards besides, "Aw, that was sweet."
So three stars it is for Jean Pierre Petite Le Rouge.
And so begins the story of Jean Pierre Petite Le Rouge-- a small squirrel with a big heart and a thirst for the adventurous life of a voyageur.
The pictures in this book were lovely-- I don't think I would have enjoyed it half as much without the pictures. It is a quick, little read and fun for something light with a little bit of history. The story takes place in 1792 during the time when men called voyageurs "traveled the waterways of what is now the United States and Canada, transporting and trading goods for furs."
The story is told all from the perspective of the squirrel. This makes the story more interesting for children, and Le Rouge is a very lovable character with his enthusiastic somersaults and speeches that no one but Jean Gentille can understand. There is a good deal of French in the book, and there is a pronunciation guide in the back for all the French words and names used throughout the story.
Although it was a very cute and fun story, I thought it was just that. Cute and fun. Not too much to think about afterwards besides, "Aw, that was sweet."
So three stars it is for Jean Pierre Petite Le Rouge.
May 17, 2021
A red squirrel stows away on a canoe to fulfill his dream of joining a group of voyageurs—men who paddle canoes filled with goods to a trading post thousands of miles away. This was a delightful journey into an unknown-to-me history!
August 12, 2022
Cute story. MHL nominated and I’m sure some kids will gravitate toward it due to the animal narrator and the shorter length.
March 23, 2020
I really liked this book. It was an exciting story. I especially enjoyed the squirrel’s BIG plans! I would recommend this book to anyone who likes animals, adventures and learning to doing things for yourself!
-H, 8yrs old
-H, 8yrs old
March 26, 2020
What an absolutely delightful little book, the kind I would have devoured as a middle reader ... and devoured as a middle-AGED reader as well.
February 10, 2021
*NOTE* I don't routinely read children's books. Therefore I have little basis for comparison to the genre as a whole. This is merely my opinion as an old man who loves canoeing in the small wilderness lakes where the voyageurs traveled hundreds of years ago.
For starters, you can't go wrong with an animal protagonist in a children's book because all kids can imagine the animal. Even city kids are familiar with squirrels. The adventure--traveling with French voyageurs hundreds of years ago, is fresh and distinct and can easily capture the imagination.
The pencil drawings added a rustic feel to the book. I appreciated the liberal use of more common French words and phrases to give young readers some exposure to another language. The pronunciation guide in the back was helpful too.
I didn't have full buy-in to the plot. A squirrel wanting to see the world can just as easily wander off in one direction for months and not have to rely on the kindness of humans to survive, especially since he was more of a liability than an asset to the trip. It would have made more sense if jean Gentille had simply captured him, tamed him, and decided to bring him along on the trip as a good-luck charm or something of that nature. But if the squirrel wasn't a pet or protected in some other way, the average voyageur crew would have turned him into squirrel stew on the first day of the trip.
The author did a commendable job outlining the typical day of a voyageur and described Grand Portage and the life there accurately, if not in full detail. Not to be expected for a book for children that focused more on the adventure than the history.
I think children who are from the Great Lakes area or just curious about that slice of history will enjoy this book immensely. I'm not sure about the proper age range of the reader (I'd say roughly 8-12 depending on reading level), but it's certainly a book an adult can read aloud to young children from about age 3 up to about age 10 as a parental bonding tool.
For starters, you can't go wrong with an animal protagonist in a children's book because all kids can imagine the animal. Even city kids are familiar with squirrels. The adventure--traveling with French voyageurs hundreds of years ago, is fresh and distinct and can easily capture the imagination.
The pencil drawings added a rustic feel to the book. I appreciated the liberal use of more common French words and phrases to give young readers some exposure to another language. The pronunciation guide in the back was helpful too.
I didn't have full buy-in to the plot. A squirrel wanting to see the world can just as easily wander off in one direction for months and not have to rely on the kindness of humans to survive, especially since he was more of a liability than an asset to the trip. It would have made more sense if jean Gentille had simply captured him, tamed him, and decided to bring him along on the trip as a good-luck charm or something of that nature. But if the squirrel wasn't a pet or protected in some other way, the average voyageur crew would have turned him into squirrel stew on the first day of the trip.
The author did a commendable job outlining the typical day of a voyageur and described Grand Portage and the life there accurately, if not in full detail. Not to be expected for a book for children that focused more on the adventure than the history.
I think children who are from the Great Lakes area or just curious about that slice of history will enjoy this book immensely. I'm not sure about the proper age range of the reader (I'd say roughly 8-12 depending on reading level), but it's certainly a book an adult can read aloud to young children from about age 3 up to about age 10 as a parental bonding tool.
September 27, 2020
This is a strange yet charming tale, part animal fantasy, historical fiction, and adventure story. I was intrigued by the title and the cover art of a tiny red squirrel appearing to be directing a canoe full of voyageurs, and upon reading, fell in love with the spunky, eloquent little critter with the great name, "Jean-Pierre Petit Le Rouge." I was tickled by the idea of his dreaming to become a voyageur and live deliberately, and that the voyageurs he discovers are also all "Jeans," each with different variations and personalities to match. I enjoyed how the French language was woven into the story. Cheryl Pilgrim's illustrations are delightful, too, especially of Jean Pierre and his friend Monique; they add much to the overall charm of the story. I will have to try the recipe for Bannock, nestled in between several "fun fact" pages at the back of the book.
I have to admit, as the plot thickened, and the adventure shifted back and forth from historical to fantastical, there were times I wondered who the intended audience was. Well, I guess it was for me, because I found it enjoyable. I know others have found it so as well. C'est bon!
I have to admit, as the plot thickened, and the adventure shifted back and forth from historical to fantastical, there were times I wondered who the intended audience was. Well, I guess it was for me, because I found it enjoyable. I know others have found it so as well. C'est bon!
September 27, 2020
A little red squirrel watches men rowing canoes, off to an unknown adventure, and longs to join them in their quest. Stowing away in the canoe, the squirrel finds his true identity - Jean Pierre Petit Le Rouge - and calling as a voyageur. But what little Jean Pierre doesn't know yet is what these men will be acquiring when they arrive at the final trading port... mon dieu! Furs! Can Le Rouge somehow convince his fellow voyages to abandon this gruesome commodity?
A gentle historical fiction novel for young readers set during the late 18th century, a time of much exploring and trading throughout the Great Lakes and waterways of the Northern U.S. and Canada. With charming illustrations, characters, and short chapters, this would work quite well as a family read-aloud.
A gentle historical fiction novel for young readers set during the late 18th century, a time of much exploring and trading throughout the Great Lakes and waterways of the Northern U.S. and Canada. With charming illustrations, characters, and short chapters, this would work quite well as a family read-aloud.
February 21, 2021
This is shorter novel about a red squirrel who joins a voyageur team paddling from Montreal to Grand Portage in the 1700's. He is a lovable nuisance who eventually figures out that all of the paddling results in trading for fur at the end of the route. He tries to get them to see that they might be taking more than nature can give.
I would love to listen to this story because of all of the French. There is a pronunciation guide in the back which helped. You would also want to see the pictures in the book too since there are quite a few lovely pencil drawings.
What a great intro into the history fur trading and the voyagers for kids. If you have visited Grand Portage State Park...then read this book!
I would love to listen to this story because of all of the French. There is a pronunciation guide in the back which helped. You would also want to see the pictures in the book too since there are quite a few lovely pencil drawings.
What a great intro into the history fur trading and the voyagers for kids. If you have visited Grand Portage State Park...then read this book!
July 25, 2022
Very nice! The 7 year old hung on every word as I read aloud and loved flipping to the map at the front to watch the voyageurs progress from Montreal to Grand Portage and back. I loved hearing the local history of the Grand Portage and the Great Rendezvous fictionalized for kids. The squirrel relationships and personalities were a bit gendered, the ego-driven, short-sighted male and the calming, rational kill-joy female. But I am hyper vigalante of stereotypes in kids fiction. Overall, would recommend as a family read aloud (and then visit Grand Portage National Monument!) or as a chapter book for solid readers who like animal narrators and history.
September 27, 2020
This is a delightful approach to revealing the stories of French fur trading in the early centuries of North America, set in the boundary waters of US/Canada before such designations existed. The narrator is the little red squirrel who has big dreams, joins one canoe in a convoy (thanks to to very literate and gentle member of the crew) and must navigate a journey of self-discovery while answering questions about what the trade was all about. Spoiler (to the squirrel)- ANIMAL SKINS!
There is much to love about this narrator and much to learn in the course of his story.
There is much to love about this narrator and much to learn in the course of his story.
June 11, 2020
Margi Preus presents another delightful well researched historical fiction.
Cute story of a squirrel who wants to be a voyageur, until he realizes what they pick up before they head back in their return journey - pelts! He rides along with a group of various Jeans and attempts to communicate and make himself useful in the journey. Humorous, brief chapters with illustrations - a bit long for my 5 year old currently, will try it as a read aloud in a year or two.
Cute story of a squirrel who wants to be a voyageur, until he realizes what they pick up before they head back in their return journey - pelts! He rides along with a group of various Jeans and attempts to communicate and make himself useful in the journey. Humorous, brief chapters with illustrations - a bit long for my 5 year old currently, will try it as a read aloud in a year or two.
June 30, 2020
This was a fun little chapter book: part historical fiction and part odd animal tale. The main character, Jean Pierre Petite Le Rouge, is a red squirrel who joins a group of voyageurs on their canoe trek. The story is told from his perspective and is often very funny, but also talks about the early American fur trade and how the European settlers, unlike the Native peoples, were “takers”. Le Rouge finds an ally in Jean Gentille, whose nose is buried in a book whenever he gets the chance.
December 17, 2020
Great details, vocabulary, and focus on the daily lives of the voyageurs. The squirrel (main character) is able to share s unique viewpoint of the voyageur life and Grand Portage.
I’m not sure how many of my students would read and comprehend the whole book on their own. This could be a class read aloud or a book recommendation after our American Indian unit.
I’m not sure how many of my students would read and comprehend the whole book on their own. This could be a class read aloud or a book recommendation after our American Indian unit.
December 17, 2020
A little red squirrel relates his journey with a group of fur traders from 1792 Montreal out to Grand Portage on the western bank of Lake Superior. Those graduating from chapter books may enjoy.
At the end is a French pronunciation guide, information on voyageurs, squirrel facts, a recipe for bannock, and a list of sources.
At the end is a French pronunciation guide, information on voyageurs, squirrel facts, a recipe for bannock, and a list of sources.
January 2, 2022
Cute story about an adventurous red squirrel who wants to be a voyageur. Reminded me a little of Despereaux. You learn a little about the French fur trade and voyageurs, but the main focus is the adventurous red squirrel, Jean Pierre Petit Le Rouge. He is a great narrator and the story has a great balance of adventure, humor, and a little history. I think it would make a fun read aloud.
March 10, 2023
As a librarian in an intermediate school in Minnesota, I was pretty excited about this book. The kids study voyageurs in their social studies class and I was hoping it would align with their curriculum, as an enrichment read. I loved the first half of the book, but the second half went from educational in a fun way to just silly.
May 19, 2020
Overall a good book and covers the history well. I loved the incorporation of French words and facts from books a character was reading but the plot could of used a little work as it kinda jumped around a bit
July 8, 2020
This is an odd little book - Flora and Ulysses crossed with historical fiction. The first half was cute; the second half didn’t work as well for me. I did find myself wondering who the audience would be, to truly appreciate this.
May 31, 2021
This is a children's book by a MN author. It is historical fiction about the French speaking Canadian fur traders or voyageurs. It is told from a red squirrel's point of view, so one learns about red squirrels also. Fun title.
August 28, 2021
Loved this sweet tale about a squirrel wanting to be a voyageur... so perfect for our road trip to MN. Good, clean, mischievous and adventurous without any scary for younger kids. And still entertaining for me reading it aloud!
December 8, 2021
I used this story when teaching about the fur trade to Grade Fives. The first half is best, then it gets a bit too Disney like. Overall, it was a fun supplement to other resources about the fur trade.
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January 17, 2022The first few chapters were cute and amusing, but then we got to the part where the animals gather together for a community meeting and say they don’t mind being hunted by the Native Americans--the only real problem is the white men, who are just too greedy.
And I just. could. not.
And I just. could. not.
August 26, 2022
Meh…listened to it on audio. Not really captivating but might be nice for a family car ride or a classroom read for grades 2-4. . A fun intro to the historical time period of voyageurs. Kids living around Great Lakes Region might enjoy. Good natural history themes.
April 24, 2023
A red squirrel joins a group of Voyageurs as they carry canoe loads of goods to the North. Jean Pierre Petit LeRouge is determined to discover where the Voyageurs are going. Imagine his disappointment when he realizes all their goods are traded for the pelts of animals. He is horrified!
March 27, 2024
This is such an adorable story. Loved it. The first chapter was a little slower, but then it picked up after that. The story is told from the little squirrel’s perspective. Throughout the story I smiled and laughed. It’s a warm, feel-good, light-hearted story. I would definitely read it again.
April 8, 2020
Lovely adventure narrative about a wee squirrel's big adventure. The text is complimented by wonderful soft atmospheric pencil drawings.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews