The Littlest Voyageur
By:
Illustrator: Cheryl Pilgrim
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.
French pronunciation guide. Further information about voyageurs, Jean Pierre Petit le Rouge’s speeches, and red and flying squirrels. Recipe for bannock. Sources. Black-and-white illustrations.
ISBN: 9780823442478
JLG Release: Jun 2020
Sensitive Areas:
None
Topics:
Adventure and adventurers
, Fur traders
, Squirrels
, Eighteenth-century history of Canada
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Praise & Reviews
Starred or favorable reviews have been received from these periodicals:
Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly*, School Library Journal*
School Library Journal
In 1792 Quebec, an intrepid red squirrel invites himself along on a trading expedition by a group of eight white human Quebecois traders—all named Jean—known as “voyageurs.” Of course, Jean Pierre Petit Le Rouge (Little Red) doesn’t know the trip is ultimately about animal pelts; to him it’s a chance to see more of the world as they jou In 1792 Quebec, an intrepid red squirrel invites himself along on a trading expedition by a group of eight white human Quebecois traders—all named Jean—known as “voyageurs.” Of course, Jean Pierre Petit Le Rouge (Little Red) doesn’t know the trip is ultimately about animal pelts; to him it’s a chance to see more of the world as they journey northward on and off the calm Canadian waters in their birchbark canoe. Much like Jean Van Leeuwen’s 1970’s “Marvin the Magnificent” series, here is an irrepressibly charming and energetic furry narrator who interacts with simplistic humans on his own terms, whether or not the unimportant men understand him. Only the book-loving Jean can interpret meaning from Le Rouge’s squirrel-talk, while the rest consider putting him in their ragoût... one of many French words flavoring the adventure. Three- to five-page chapters, each accompanied with one or more intricate, expressive gray pencil illustrations, break the events into perfect bedtime-chapter-sized portions. A well-written, sweet, simple, satisfying, and good-natured animal story that sheds light on a little-explored era of history.
Book Details
ISBN
9780823442478
First Release
June 2020
Genre
Fic
Dewey Classification
F
Trim Size
5 1/2" x 7"
Page Count
176
Accelerated Reader
Level 4.7; Points: 2;
Scholastic Reading Counts
N/ALexile
N/AFormat
Print Book
Edition
Hardcover edition
Publisher
Holiday House
Potentially Sensitive Areas
None
Topics
Adventure and adventurers, Fur traders, Squirrels, Eighteenth-century history of Canada,
