Bird & Squirrel All Tangled Up: 02/14/19

Two years ago when I reviewed Bird & Squirrel on Fire I said it felt like a good place to end the series. With the two travelers finally home and with Squirrel getting married, it felt final. Now, to my sheer and utter delight, there is a fifth book, Bird & Squirrel All Tangled Up by James Burks.

The book opens with Squirrel's wife leaving on a business trip. Bird is by to visit and to be the adventuring loving uncle to Squirrel's child.

Lingering in the wings of this story is Squirrel's old fears. Now, though, they are reframed in his abilities to parent and to keep his child safe. His child, meanwhile, has Bird's love of adventure and perhaps, his recklessness.

Bird lights the fire for adventure with stories of a Bigfeet. The trio sets off on their adventure with each encounter involving more and more danger. But each encounter also further builds up the story of the Bigfeet and his lifestyle.

The sliding from realism (if talking, brightly colored animals can count as realism) into fantasy (Bigfoot dubbed Bigfeet by Bird) brings to mind The Bigfoot Files by Lindsey Edgar (review coming). The two have very similar plots but very different executions.

Looking further, there is an unwritten rule that whenever Bigfoot or the Yeti or Sasquatch is mentioned, they will make an appearance if not to the main characters, at least to the audience.

For further reading:

• The Bigfoot Files by Lindsey Edgar
• Lemons by Melissa Savage
• Tintin in Tibet by Hergé

Five stars

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