Please, No More Nuts! by Jonathan Fenske

Photos provided by Brian E. Wilson

 Brian E. Wilson works as a Children’s Librarian at the Evanston Public Librarian where he buys a lot of the kids books and has been known to imitate squirrels in story times. He has served on the 2015 Odyssey Committee and the 2017 Caldecott Committee.

The wildly expressive squirrels from the rollicking counting book We Need More Nuts! return in this playful sequel that actually surpasses the first installment. In this broadly comical account (which works as a stand alone title), these critters have had their fill of nuts and beg the reader throughout to take them off their paws. The title emerges as a clever case of persuasive writing, but one that contradicts itself with humorous results. In rhyming text, the squirrels initially try to convince young readers to accept their nutty gift, but then end up listing the increasingly absurd reasons why they no longer enjoy what they once considered a tasty treat. Throughout writer/illustrator Jonathan Fenske (who received a 2016 Geisel Honor for the wonderful A Pig, a Fox, and a Box) uses his gift for comic timing to maintain interest and prompt giggles.

The Geisel criteria states that the illustrations must function as keys or clues to the text. And this is this book's most promising achievement as a Geisel contender. Fenske does a masterful job capturing the characters' body language, as well as their often grotesque grins and grimaces (they would feel at home on an episode of The Ren & Stimpy Show). Each drawing reflects and comments on the absurd mood of the accompanying words. For example, Fenske matches the sentence "Back then I was a nut for nuts" with a drawing of a squirrel with nuts for pupils smiling dreamily. Then he writes "But NOW I cannot stand their guts" and shows the same character holding their nose at the unwanted nut in their extended paw. Look at how he shows the characters' droopy-eyed boredom as they eat nuts for breakfast, brunch, as a snack, lunch, and supper EVERY DAY. In a brilliant touch, later Fenske repeats this passage but this time the characters attempt to convince readers that having nuts during every meal is a good thing. He uses exclamation points ("Nuts for breakfast! Nuts for brunch!") and the illustrations show once-boring meals now shining with triumphant radiance.

The Geisel criteria also mentions that contenders should have a "page-turning dynamic." Although Please, No More Nuts! does not have a narrative per se (it is more like a comedy sketch), the book definitely moves at a rapid pace and propels the reader from one silly scenario to the next. And it all zooms to a satisfying climax with nuts pouring out of the characters' storage closet, followed by a page with the squirrels begging the reader to not close the book which of course makes the readers laugh as they do just that.

Other aspects of the book are strong. The layout is clear; the bold font easy to read. The rhymes are witty ("Here are four nuts./Please take more nuts!"). Fenske's language zips and zings while remaining simple enough for the intended audience. The illustrations (especially the gross-out ones) deftly reflect the giddy goofiness of the text. Overall, a nutty romp that the Geisel committee should not resist.