Fluffless, a Squirrel's Tail

Pointy nose, hairless tail, clumsy with acorns, and bad at climbing -- Fluffless is the worst squirrel in the park. Still, he is determined to keep up with the others -- all the way up, up, up, to the top of the great oak tree! But a couple of spectators down below cast doubt on his efforts and leave Fluffless thinking maybe he really is just nuts. The latest from Matt Bergin ("Blank Slater, the Boy With the Dry-Erase Face," "Lesky Lee, Monster of Monsters") is a twist on "The Ugly Duckling," where the scruffy protagonist has more important things on his mind than labels. Illustrations by D.L. Skandle ("Little Duckie's Day").