Squirrel is a champion, and she has the trophies to prove it. She’s the fastest one in the land, and she’s got a spot cleared for the next Golden Acorn Hunt trophy. But then they announce that this year’s Golden Acorn Hunt is a team event. Squirrel doesn’t have time to find a team, so she recruits her friends, gives them a quick training, and then it is the day of the hunt. Will Squirrel’s friends just weigh her down, can she just do things without them, or does she have something important to learn?

A fun book on teamwork with some rather humorous illustrations of animals that aren’t usually in trees climbing vines and trying not to fall. I really like that Squirrel learns her lesson and gets her priorities straight before she hurts anyone. I also like that Hudson took the brave route with the ending and where the trophy ended up. Highly recommended for kids who may get a little too into competitions and put winning above relationships and the people involved. Also just a fun read for animal lovers and humorous stories.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My four year old loves "Too Many Carrots" and "A Loud Winter's Nap." After finishing, "The Golden Acorn" his first comment was... "So... what about the Beaver's story?" So Ms. Hudson, I hope you have plans for it (and the bird too!)

I think that because we are invested in the characters from seeing them in the previous books, we were able to appreciate this book even more. I wanted the ARC for this book to read to my son, who would give this story 5-stars easily. We read it FOUR times yesterday. And another two times today. Once published, I'm sure we will be picking up a copy for our collection.
I like the lesson learned from the story. The story is about a squirrel who LOVES racing, but also wants to be a good friend. My son LOVES racing, but like many other four-year olds, he's still learning how to be a good friend. We have had a few discussions about why the characters acted the way they did. I could tell that this book really got him thinking.

I would give it five stars alone for the art. The illustrations are beautiful and the colors in "The Golden Acorn" are particularly vibrant.
After 6 reads, I'm not quite sick of this book yet- that's the real reason for giving it 5 stars. I'm sure after the 10th read... the 20th read... and so on, I won't be enjoying this book quite as much ;). I really do appreciate how rereadable this book is though.

Thank you Netgalley, Capstone, and Katy Hudson for the advanced reader's copy of this book- it has been such a fun book for me to read to my son!

I liked the idea and the illustrations but the message got muddled in the execution. One minute squirrel doesn't need anyone and literally the next page she realizes her friends are the most important thing in her life?

The Golden Acorn written and illustrated by Katy Hudson is a lovely story about friendship and teamwork. The unbeatable squirrel wins The Golden Nut Hunt every year. His walls are decorated with medals, awards, and Golden Acorns. His house in the trees is a shrine to himself, being the best, and winning. There’s even an empty spot on his shelf labeled “NEW TROPHY SPOT.” It’s worth taking the time to look at all the detail in the illustrations. Book titles and trophy engravings are amusing.

This year though, the Golden Nut Hunt participants must be groups, which doesn’t please the squirrel. His friends are willing to be on his team, but the beaver, rabbit, and turtle only seem to be holding him back. The squirrel gets frustrated and scurries to find the Golden Acorn on his own. But it’s too heavy to move by himself! He realizes that winning isn’t everything and learns to appreciate the value of friendship.

Thanks to NetGalley and Capstone for the opportunity to read this book. My review is honest and unbiased. #NetGalley #TheGoldenAcorn

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I read with my grandchildren ages 4 and 6. I had more explaining what was going on than I would have wanted. Beautiful illustrations. They didn’t get the moral. Maybe more about how good the other teams and friends were doing would have helped.

This was absolutely adorable. What a great children's read. I can definitely see me using the themes and messages from this book in my elementary classroom. The illustrations were also vibrant and the story would definitely keep the attention of young readers if read independently. Very impressed.

A prize worth having at any cost? Squirrel has lost his sense of what is truly valuable in life. He finds that trying to win at all costs is not the right motivation but through the contest, he discovers what really counts and is more valuable than gold.
Great book for parents to read as it will certainly promote good things to discuss.
I received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This is a lovely book that stresses the importance of friendships and team work. The story is fun and the beautiful illustrations give it a special charm.

I read this with my 4th grade kiddo and we loved the colorful fall themed illustrations. Overall it was a cute storybook, but the story didn't feel very original and didn't have enough humor to truly keep my silly boy interested enough. It was a so-so rating for the both of us. It would be a good read for younger elementary kids learning about what it means to work in a team.

The Golden Acorn was adorable! I love the art work throughout the book, it's simple enough for toddlers, but still interesting enough for older kids. The story focuses on not leaving your friends behind, because friends are more important than any trophy. I liked the way the lesson was presented, learning from her mistake, rather than another story about working together to reach a goal. Love it!

Let me tell you about this book and how it helped my child.

My son is 10 years old and on the awesome autistic spectrum. For the past 4 years, we have been in a deep circle of always having to be first in everything. Teamwork is not a factor at all. This book helped manage a minor breakthrough with him. Although we still race to the front, we now look back and make sure our friends are really close behind.

The story and illustrations are just superb!

Thank you to NetGalley for this download. He cannot wait until the physical copy comes out in July 2019, which I am sure will be read a million times over. And thank you Katy Hudson for helping my son realize that things are often better with friends.

The Golden Acorn is the story of a super-star squirrel Squirrel has another race to win but there's a catch...she needs a team for this race. This independent squirrel feels like she doesn't need a team, but does she? You'll have to read to find out what happens with squirrel on race day in this fast paced ramp through the treetops.

A charming picture book about the importance of friendship and teamwork told through a bunch of cute woodland animals coming together to win the magnificent golden acorn. But on race day, will Squirrel's competitive spirit take over or will she learn how to be a team player?

For me, the rich and energetic illustrations really carried the storyline as the writing felt a little flat and cliché, yet this picture book is sure to delight little ones as well as offering them a meaningful message to take away.

Cute story about the importance of friendship and how there really isn't an "I' in team. I loved the illustrations with all the little details and the fun, playful animals. The illustrations I felt were a bit stronger than the story itself but I think kids would still really enjoy it and it is a good message overall.

The Golden Acorn was a lovely story of teamwork, friendship and letting go of things. Squirrel wins the golden acorn every year because he is the fastest, but this year, the rules have changed. The winner must be part of a team. Squirrel isn't sure how this is going to go, but decides he can bring his friends along. It doesn't go quite how squirrel imagines it will go, but he sure learns a lot along the way.
Great story to share with children about working together and what is really important in life.

The Story:
Squirrel loves winning and has a prize collection of trophies from the annual Golden Acorn Hunt to prove it. But this year the rules have changed: Squirrel must compete as part of a team. Running out of time, Squirrel reluctantly teams up with her friends but has she really grasped what being part of a team means? And when the finish line is in sight, Squirrel must decide if it’s the trophy or her friends that are the real prize…

Favourite Spread:
The illustrations hooked me in this book and elevated the story. There really was something to enjoy in every spread of this book. I loved Squirrels trophy shelf which had a special place ear-marked for her next trophy.

The Verdict:
I really enjoyed this book. Katy’s illustrations are on-the-money and made this book stand out for me over other picture books which feature the same theme. The only tiny niggle I had (which stopped me from giving this five stars) was that Squirrel’s realisation that her friends mattered more than the trophy was a bit too sudden. I would have liked her to have had to make a choice between helping her friends or winning, or maybe seen the other teams working together and realised teamwork was all part of the fun. However, overall, a lovely picture book with fantastic illustrations that will put a smile on your face.

I am very grateful to the publisher for providing me with an advanced digital copy via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

** This review will be published on 28 May (around a month before publication date) links can be updated **

The pictures are what make this book stand out. The story, of a talented friend who must slow down to stay with his squad, has been told before. The images of a beaver, turtle, rabbit, and tiny bird struggling to navigate the tree tops really takes it to the next level. The details, such as the interiors of Squirrel's home, add character development and charm. This is a great lap book.

Squirrel is the fastest, but this year's Golden Acorn race calls for teams. His team is interesting, including a beaver, tortoise, bird, and rabbit. This is not the best group for running through tree branches. Squirrel tries to get them in shape, but come the day of the race, it's a mess. Just when victory is in sight, Squirrel realizes that friends are more important. The illustrations add additional humor and urgency to the text. The message is clear without being heavy-handed, a big feat indeed. This great choice for storytime is recommended for school and public libraries.

Cute picture book about Squirrel, who is the fast animal in the forest and wins the Golden Acorn every year. But this year the rules have changes and she has to work with a team. Her friends volunteer, but will they be fast enough to win?
Great lesson that winning isn't everything and friends are important.

The Golden Acorn is a sweet book with adorable illustrations of forest animals. Squirrel is a competitive little racer who keeps a trophy collection from all the many races she has won. But the Golden Acorn race has a new twist this year - only TEAMS will be allowed! Squirrel is put out, but rounds up her friends anyway. But on race day, will she be able to remember that the whole team has to work together?

This is a cute picture book for young children, with pastel colored illustrations that complement the woodland setting. A beautiful addition to any child's library.