Young children
In a snowy forest, two squirrels, Stikki and Rella, face danger and mystery while searching for lost food and each other. As a food thief threatens the woodland, the animals must unite to uncover secrets, survive the cold, and protect their sacred tree.
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Join Stikki and his mate Rella on their second exciting adventure – full of mystery, danger, and the wonders of magic found in the most unexpected places.
Winter has arrived in Hazy Hills Wood, covering everything in a blanket of snow.
Food is hard to find, and the animals are getting hungry. To make things worse, there is a scary food thief on the prowl.
Stikki heads out into the cold to find his secret stash, but when he doesn’t come home, Rella goes searching for him. A frightening journey looms ahead as Stikki and Rella are forced to confront their enemies and the dreaded longlegs.
Deep in the heart of the ancient wood stands the animals’ sacred ash tree. When Brodboar the badger spots something strange high in the tree’s branches, he is shocked by the discovery and begins to worry. Is it a warning?
With Stikki and Rella still missing, can the woodland animals work together to find their friends before it’s too late?
Here's what readers have to say about this book....
ARC Review of Stikki the Squirrel: Tree Spirits. Winter is not my favorite season. Winter is my most abhorred season. Its coldness, its grayness and lack of color, its cruelty to those who are homeless and have difficulties getting food which jeopardizes their survival. It shows no mercy to human and non-human animals alike. It bares only its white, sharp teeth, ready to dig them into your body and extracts your juices, your life out of you. Like it almost happened to Stikki and Rella, like it happens to many unknown animals not mentioned in this beautiful children story, a successful sequel to Stikki the Squirrel. The only kind of winter’s beauty I can see in Jane H. Wood’s writing, and not from the reasons mentioned above. Just like in her YA fantastic duology, GoldenEars, beauty of winter lies in those who are willing to risk everything, even their lives, to help those troubled and needed. Friendship, camaraderie, selflessness, and kindness, among other virtues, are the most beautiful winter moments. And what’s even more beautiful is that they are not limited to a certain species, they know no boundaries, they are universal. So is cruelty, true, but Stikki the Squirrel: Tree Spirits is not a story about cruelty of predators to their victims; it is the story of giving, helping, sacrificing, and sharing with other fellow creatures of one big, magnificent family. I thank the author for letting me read an advance review copy at no cost and with no obligations toward the author, and I also thank her for the gorgeous illustrations which make the story even more appealing and adorable, just like its protagonists are. 5 Stars.
Editorial Review. 5 Stars. Stikki the Squirrel: Tree Spirits follows Stikki, his mate Rella, their four kits, and a whole woodland of animals trying to survive a brutal winter while food runs out and foxes, hawks, and "longlegs" (humans) prowl around. In the middle of the snow and danger, a mysterious ancient ash tree wakes up, while in a nearby Welsh village a book-mad girl called Sophie gets ready for Christmas with her family. The story weaves between the cold, risky lives of the animals and the warm glow of Sophie's cottage. I really liked the way the writing feels cosy and old-fashioned, like a grandparent telling a long story by the fire. The language is simple but not babyish, with fun touches like calling humans "longlegs" and giving the animals big personalities. The woodland scenes are very vivid, all that deep snow and biting wind and creaking branches, and the chase with the foxes actually made me tense up. The tone swings between gentle and quite intense, so one moment you get cute kit chaos and the next you get a life-or-death scramble for a tree or a plunge into the freezing river. The black-and-white drawings scattered through the book match that feeling really nicely, with scratchy, lively lines that make Stikki look both adorable and a bit frazzled. Underneath the talking animals, there is a strong "we are all connected" vibe, with the trees, the weather, the pigs who escaped a factory farm, the deer, the foxes, even the grumpy crow, all tangled into the same story of survival and kindness. I loved the reveal of the tree spirits as dragonfly-like beings who noticed Stikki's bravery and his unselfish wish for food. The Sophie chapters add a different warmth: books stacked at the end of the bed, hot chocolate, a recovering aunt, and that Christmas feeling of everyone finally being in the same house again after a scare. It made the whole thing feel like two threads of hope, one human and one wild, running side by side. I would recommend Stikki the Squirrel: Tree Spirits to kids who enjoy longer animal stories with a mix of danger and comfort, probably confident readers around eight to twelve or younger children as a read-aloud with an adult. It is also a sweet pick for anyone who loves winter tales, forest magic, and the kind of story that quietly nudges you to care about animals and trees while you are wrapped up in the adventure.
ARC Review of Stikki the Squirrel: Tree Spirits. Stikki the Squirrel: Tree Spirits by Jane H. Wood is a delightful story for the whole family. I enjoyed seeing the character Stikki go from a young squirrel in the first book to a father and mate in this family-oriented action story for kids. The adventure that Stikki goes on foraging for food turns into a quest to find the way back home, facing danger and unexpected friends. The author cleverly shows life and priorities from a squirrel's perspective on everything from birds, foxes, to even humans. The wrap up at the end hints at more adventures to come for Stikki, Rella, and the squirrel children! Enjoyable from start to finish. 5 Stars.
ARC Review. An exciting story that will delight and excite young readers. Beautifully illustrated by author Jane Wood, it follows the further adventures of Stikki the squirrel and his little family and tells of what happens when there is danger in the wood and they encounter some Longlegs! A thrilling tale your children will love. 5 stars.
ARC review of Stikki the Squirrel: Tree Spirits, by Jane H. Wood. Stikki the Squirrel: Tree Spirits is the second book in the Stikki the Squirrel Series, written and illustrated by the author Jane H. Wood. The story centres around Stikki, and his friends and family, as the author transports readers back to the magnificent Hazy Hills Wood, to find our intrepid hero and his beloved wife Rella, being pursued by a pack of hungry foxes. The pair have a narrow escape, saved in the nick of time by two longlegs, (humans) twelve-year-old, Sophie and her father Evan Davis. Unbeknown to Sophie, and her father, their act of kindness has devastating consequences, as Stikki and Rella's Kits are left alone in Hazy Hills Wood to fend for themselves. Jane Wood's beautiful story is characterised by its lucidity and endearing charm, her wonderful characters such as Stikki, Rella, Brodboar, Cecilpeck, Coppertail and Rosehip, are relatable and extremely well-drawn. The group of Woodland friends, steadfast in their comradery and endearing love for each other, face adversity and adventures with moral dilemmas that will resonate with readers of all ages, especially children. The tale is beautifully written, crafted with wonderful prose, subtle humour and beautiful illustrations, that bring the characters and settings to life. Any child would be proud to have this book in their collection. I'm buying a paperback copy for my granddaughter Emily, who adores this series. Highly recommended. It's Five-Stars from me, and Emily, K.D. Sherrinford.
