Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk

Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary by David Sedaris, illustrations by Ian Falconer, 159 pages

David Sedaris is best known for his essay collections, and for the NPR-inclined, his segments on This American Life. This book marks his first foray into fiction writing, and filled with modern fables featuring the everyday lives of anthropomorphic animals. There's the story of the Ugly American warblers who fly south to Guatemala every winter, complaining to their friends how insulting it is that none of the Guatemalan birds can speak English. There's the misguided mouse who "rescues" a baby snake and keeps it as a "companion" ("pet" doesn't begin to describe the connection she feels to the snake). And don't forget about the two mother storks discussing the best way to respond to their chicks when they ask where babies come from. Yes, the stars of these stories are animals, but their personalities hit close to home. I'll bet that everyone can think of someone these creatures remind them of.

This is fun, funny, and quick. Additional props to Falconer's illustrations, which are perfect for Sedaris' dry and acerbic humor.