This story is about a ground squirrel that lives in a burrow, in the mountains of Colorado. Shadow, a dog, and Uncle Stubby, a fox squirrel, and their friends go on a trip to visit Uncle Stubby’s cousin, Rocky, a ground squirrel. Cousin Rocky takes them skiing, teaches mountain safety, how to ski safely on the bunny slopes near his burrow, the difference between tree squirrels and ground squirrels, home safety, travel safety, and to watch out for cars. This story provides children with knowledge about different squirrels and their habitats, and teaches children safety when visiting a new place illustrating how important safety is, and promotes new adventures at the same time. 

Reviews

Reviewed By Rosie Malezer for Readers’ Favorite
“Shadow and Friends Visit the Mountains is the third book in the Shadow and Friends series written by S. Jackson and A. Raymond. After Uncle Stubby, the fox squirrel, invites his canine friend, Shadow, to visit Stubby’s cousin (a ground squirrel named Cousin Rocky) up high in the mountains of Colorado, Shadow cannot resist. Stubby’s family and Shadow board the next flight to Denver and catch a taxi to a spot close to Rocky’s burrow. As it had been first snow the night before, Rocky’s home and surroundings look magical. A feast of various nuts is served to the visiting squirrels, while dog bones and meat are made available to Shadow. A nearby stream provides an endless drink of fresh water to all. It is not long before Stubby’s family realizes that there are no tree nests for the squirrels to sleep in, but as Rocky is a ground squirrel, he invites them all to sleep in his burrow. During the visit, they learn how to ski on the snow. They also learn about the hibernating habits of ground squirrels, which is a concept quite foreign to the fox squirrels who live in the trees. Rocky then goes into hibernation and his guests return home to Kansas.

S. Jackson and A. Raymond have penned a wonderful portrayal of different types of squirrels, each living in different environments and learning things unique to them while their dog friend tags along. The contrast presented between Kansas and Colorado is quite remarkable, especially since both are in the same country. The illustrations are bright and colorful, bringing the story of the visiting squirrels to life beautifully and educating young readers not only about the different places, but also the different breeds of squirrels and their unique mannerisms (which are not shared by all squirrels due to their particular surrounding environments). I found Shadow and Friends Visit the Mountains to be a delightful read and recommend this book to younger audiences, whether it be read to them at story time or as an early read-alone children’s book. Shadow and Friends Visit the Mountains would ideally be stocked in kindergartens, home libraries and in childcare centers.”

“Jackson’s and A. Raymond’s second book in their new Shadow series, “Shadow and Friends Go Camping” was an enjoyable read from page one! As I read this book, I could feel a smile on my face, at the antics of one small dog and her squirrel friends. I will read this story again and again to my grandchildren. This would make a wonderful children’s story for my church, Thank you for your efforts in making such a lovely book, and the graphics are awesome…” ~ Susan Vance, Author, Leaving Savannah 

Awards

2016 Reader’s Favorite Five Stars