The Walnut Cup

I found this first on audiobook just by chance at the library. My 5-year-old really enjoyed listening to the story so we got the paperback version to read. I had never heard of this series before and now we've read all the titles, memorable characters and light but enjoyable topics for kids who are just starting to read on their own.

Join Elliot and his friends in the wonderful world of Elliot's Park, based on Pioneer Park in Walla Walla, Washington. In this book, the third in the series, Elliot and his friends are hosting the Walnut Cup, the Squirrel world cup of soccer. These tales were originally created by Patrick for his daughter while they visited the real park. There is a great cast of characters including Chip the larger-than-average squirrel with a chipped front tooth. You will also meet Crash, the only flying squirrel in the park, Elliot the book worm with glasses who loves collared shirts, wide ties and solving problems, and many, many others. Even Mister Nibbles from the first book, Saving Mister Nibbles, makes an appearance, along with soccer teams from Brazil, Germany, Sweden, Italy, France, Japan and Spain. This is a great story about making mistakes, and then learning from them and helping to fix them. Pistachio is a nut addict and a bit of a nut, and even though a perfectly round walnut is needed for the teams to play, he cannot help himself from taking the game nut and trying to eat it. Crash swoops in from the skies and knocks him over, and the game nut goes into the pond. Pistachio knows he has made a mistake, and it is affecting not only himself but also others. He attempts to recover the nut even though it means jousting with a giant mean swan. That's when the adventures really begin. This is a great book for the whole family. These books are aimed at a younger audience than his other works, yet it will captivate children of all ages. The artwork by James is excellent. I was a little concerned when the illustrator had changed, but the transition appears seamless. And as an added bonus there are exercises at the end of the book, to create fun for a family or class. In this book they include: o Elliot's High-Energy Apple Surprise o Chip's Super-Helpful Soccer Tips! o Show Your Colors! Soccer Ball Decoration to Support Your Team. The book concludes with a preview chapter of the next book, A Windy Tale. Pick up this book either for the young soccer fans in your life or just as a fun story to share.