The Squirrel Wife facts for kids
Front cover art of 1971 first edition
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| Author | Philippa Pearce |
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| Illustrator | Derek Collard |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's literature Fairy tale |
| Published | 1971 by Longman Young Books |
| Media type | Print with linocut illustrations (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 59 pp |
| ISBN | 0-582-15263-1 |
| OCLC | 553738 |
| 823.914 | |
| LC Class | PZ8.P286 |
The Squirrel Wife is a special fairy tale written for children. It was created by Philippa Pearce and first had pictures drawn by Derek Collard. This story was first published in 1971 by Longman Young Books.
Since then, The Squirrel Wife has been printed again in many places. These include Middlesex, New York City, Paris, and Madrid. Later versions of the book had new artists. Bill Geldart drew the pictures for books printed between 1983 and 1992. More recently, Wayne Anderson illustrated the New York and London editions in 2007. This popular story is also part of a collection called The Faber book of Modern Fairy Tales.
Contents
Story Summary: The Squirrel Wife's Adventure
This section tells you what happens in the book. It's a tale about a young boy, a magical ring, and a special squirrel.
Jack's Brave Rescue
The story begins on a very stormy night. A young boy named Jack works as a swineherd, looking after pigs. He hears cries for help coming from the forest. The trees are being hit hard by the storm. Jack's older brother is not very kind and warns him to stay away. But Jack is brave and decides to go into the forest anyway.
He finds a little green man trapped under a fallen tree. Jack helps the little man get free. To thank Jack, the little green man gives him a magic golden ring. This ring will bring Jack good luck and love.
A Special Marriage
Jack uses the magic ring on a tiny, newborn squirrel. When he places the ring on its wrist, something amazing happens. The squirrel becomes his "squirrel wife." She is quick, has bright eyes, and is very wild.
Jack and his squirrel wife decide to live in the forest. Jack builds a house for them among the trees. He learns all about living in nature. He discovers how to find food and live peacefully in the woods.
Trouble from an Older Brother
Jack's older brother soon hears about Jack's good fortune. He learns that Jack is happy and successful in the forest. The older brother is jealous and wants to ruin Jack's happiness. He tries to cause trouble for Jack and his squirrel wife.
A Happy Ending
But Jack is not alone. His clever squirrel wife helps him. Also, the lord of the little green forest people comes to their aid. With their help, Jack and his squirrel wife overcome the older brother's plans.
In the end, Jack and his squirrel wife live happily ever after. The older brother, who was so unkind, is made to serve the forest people. This way, he can learn to be wiser and kinder himself.
