Are We Nuts? - Book Review

Are We Nuts?
by Gisela Hausmann

Are we nuts? This is the question an elderly squirrel asks his fellow tribesmen. He challenges the young generation to be critical of the policies that concern their group. In this fable, Gisela Hausmann shares a captivating story of a squirrel tribe that is at risk of extinction.

Set in Nuttington, the capital of Sciurus State, Are We Nuts? follows Harry’s story. Harry lives in a burrow with his Great-Grandpa, the eldest member of their tribe.

One day, Harry finds a single fruit from the raspberry bush. He’s delighted to see it for two reasons. One reason is that raspberries are a rarity in their place. And second, finding a single berry when nobody else sees it means that the fruit is his. It’s a tradition in their tribe that if a bush produces more than one berry, the finder must notify the community about it. The bounty is shared with everyone. And so, Harry decides to eat the berry before anyone sees it. He later tells his Great-Grandpa about his find though. The old man tells Harry that finding a raspberry fruit portends something significant to happen.

The Great Disastrous Flood

Harry recalls the history he learned in school. It’s about the Great Disastrous Floods that hit the squirrel communities in the past. Millions of his ancestors were killed as the trees they lived on were felled by the winds. The nut depots were also destroyed, causing widespread starvation among the surviving Sciuridae. Harry’s mother died in one of the devastating storms.

After the waters receded, the founding fathers of the Sciurus State told the squirrel communities to organize themselves and help one another. And so, Harry’s ancestors came together and formulated guidelines for them to live by. Life was that simple in the past.

The Dawn of Modern Technology

However, life in the squirrel communities changes with the introduction of the smart boxes. Through the weird boxes, Harry’s tribe learns many things. They can communicate faster with other tribes. Soon, commerce comes alive and life in Nuttington improves.

But then, the observant squirrels notice that the boxes cause significant changes in the tribe’s behavior. Some of them observe that The Council becomes more concerned about the boxes than about the squirrels’ welfare. They also notice that the enterprising squirrels worry more about marketability and investment returns over creativity.

These developments baffle the critical squirrels. Thus, they decide to do something about it. Read Are We Nuts? and follow how Harry and Great-Grandpa deal with these issues. Also, learn about the raspberry portent.

The Book and the Author of Are We Nuts?

Are We Nuts? is a timely read for the present generation. It’s not just a fable for the readers to enjoy. Rather, the story is relatable to human lives. It’s environmentally, socially, and politically relevant. I like Gisela Hausmann’s concept and the way she organizes the plot. Her writing style is simple and yet she makes the readers contemplate. She may even cause them to take action. What I like the most in the book is when the author presents a meaningful statement. She says through one of the characters,

“Squirrels who get to party feel good. And squirrels who feel good don’t ask questions.”

Aren’t humans like the squirrels? We tend to get so overwhelmed with modern technologies that we oftentimes fail to see the side effects of things.

Moreover, the author’s choice of squirrels as the characters in the story is a wise idea. Although the rodents are oftentimes annoying, squirrels have somehow human-like personalities. They are smart and sociable, and they can be bold. Just like humans are.

Because of all these qualities, I give Are We Nuts? a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. And, I recommend it to readers 12 years old and above. There is a lot to learn from this book,