PreS-Gr 2—When Izzy, a chipmunk, receives a letter from Bear asking her to come quickly, she knows it must be serious because "Bear never asked for anything." The tiny critter sets out to help her friend, even though snowflakes are beginning to fall. When the snow becomes too deep for Izzy to walk through, a squirrel comes along to help, and carries the smaller animal through the treetops. As the sky darkens and the snow deepens, a duck, and then a raccoon soon show up to help their friends find the way to Bear's house. After the foursome finally arrives at the cozy den, Izzy is in for a big surprise. Bold acrylic illustrations in deep red, blue, green, and brown are rich with details: the expressions on the animals' faces, the crash into a cupola, the texture of Bear's Irish knit sweater, the duck's ear-flap hat, and the glow from Izzy's lantern and Bear's fireplace. The cover art of the four animals is reminiscent of the classic tale of "The Bremen Town Musicians" and is only the beginning of a humorous, heartwarming work. VERDICT An appealing seasonal read-aloud or one-on-one choice.—Maryann H. Owen, Oak Creek Public Library WI