Miss Suzy

Miss Suzy
Miriam Young ~ Arnold Lobel ~ Parents' Magazine Press, 1964

One of the first reprints published by the wonderful Purple House Press, it's also the first in a series of three Miss Suzy books. Sadly, the other two haven't yet had the reprint gods shine down on them. One of Loganberry Books' most requested titles, I love that fact that there are publishers out there whose sole purpose in life is to resurrect the long lost and loved. Do the folks at PHP a favor and buy their books often. It's up to us to keep these guys afloat so that they can continuing pulling great books from the brink of extinction.
That said, I was lucky enough to score a first edition a few months back (and if I can find our PHP edition someday, I'll put that up for grabs in the give), and it truly is priceless. The colors and the matte finish. Really, any picture book with a matte finish is charmed for greatness in my book. I just love the way it feels in your hand. Like something important. But I digress... For those unfamiliar, Miss Suzy is the story of a little squirrel with a big housing problem.
Miss Suzy was a little gray squirrel who lived all by herself in the tip, tip, top of a tall oak tree. She liked to clean, and she liked to sing while she worked. Every morning Miss Suzy made herself a bowl of acorn pudding, and as she stirred it around she sang:

Oh, I love to cook, I love to bake,

I guess I'll make an acorn cake.

Yes, everything is marvelous in her little tree house until a band of red squirrels evict her and trash her peace pad. She takes shelter in the attic of a neighboring home, and there she finds a gorgeous doll house and meets a band of motherless toy soldiers. The clan of miniature heroes become so enamored of her cooking and her tucking-into-bed abilities, that they defend her honor in a great battle and all is right with the world again.


Such a dear, sweet story both in text and pictures, and so glad to know that another generation is getting to fall in love with Miss Susy's mad kitchen skills.

Also by:
The Terrible Tiger
Red Tag Comes Back
Oscar Otter
The Star Thief
Mouse Tales
Prince Bertram the Bad
Benny's Animals
Lucille
Martha the Movie Mouse
Terry and the Caterpillars
The Strange Disappearance of Arthur Cluck
Ice Cream Cone Coot
The Secret Three