The Littlest Voyageur
It is 1792 and unbeknownst to a group of voyageurs traveling from Montreal to Grand Portage, an intrepid squirrel, Jean Pierre Petit Le Rouge, sneaks onto their canoe.
The voyageurs are not particularly happy to have him, especially because Le Rouge rides, but he does not paddle. He eats, but he does not cook. He doesn't even carry anything on portages — sometimes it is he who has to be carried! He also has a terrible singing voice. What kind of voyageur is that?
When they finally arrive at the trading post Le Rouge is in for a terrible shock — the voyageurs have traveled all those miles to collect beaver pelts. With the help of Monique, a smart and sweet flying squirrel, Le Rouge organizes his fur-bearing friends of the forest to ambush the men and try and convince them to quit being voyageurs.
This book has over 20 black-and-white illustrations by Cheryl Pilgrim, cherylpilgrim.com.
Awards for The Littlest Voyageur
2021 Minnesota Book Awards finalist
The finalists for the 2021 Minnesota Book Awards were chosen by 27 judges from around the state – writers, teachers, librarians, booksellers, and others from the literary community. See the complete list of finalists >
Maude Hart Lovelace Nominee
The Minnesota Youth Reading Awards’ purpose is “to administer yearly ‘read and vote’ awards programs, providing nominee titles that offer opportunities for Minnesota youth to see themselves and others in literary works, to make new connections, and to engage and enjoy the world of reading.” Learn more >
2021 Northern Lights Book Award for historical fiction
Our little red squirrel with a big heart is a big hit. See all the Northern Lights Books Award winners here >
Read Along with Margi & Her Friends
Longing for adventure, Jean Pierre Petit Le Rouge, a red squirrel, stows away in a voyageur canoe.
Le Rouge gets into trouble for singing. And other things. But he manages to save the day.
Curiosity gets the better of him, and Le Rouge’s teeth get him into trouble.
Camped at Talon Falls, Le Rouge attempts to explain gravity. It doesn’t go well.
Praise for The Littlest Voyageur
“Charming . . . lilting nature writing . . . bristles with details. . .leaves the reader knowing what it might feel like to be a smart, intrepid squirrel . . .”
“In this spry novel, Newbery Honoree Preus deftly threads together a nature adventure, history lesson, cautionary environmental tale, and an animal love story.”
“Le Rouge relates his story with drama and flair, presenting a colorful prism through which to view the daily life of a voyageur. Peppered with historical facts and (italicized) French phrases and names, this exciting, well-documented tale (with a contemporary animal-rights subtext) proves educational and entertaining ... A rousing introduction to the life of a voyageur told from a unique perspective.”
