Sir Rupert and the Battle of the Squirrels

Sir Rupert loves helping people, but his friend Bertha has a problem that's too big for them to solve alone. What will Sir Rupert do?

This book is a hilarious approach to creative problem solving, cooperation, and perseverance. Sir Rupert is a young person living in the castle, aspiring to become a "real" knight someday. He tries to help everyone he can to gain necessary knighthood experience. When his friend Bertha, the castle cook, comes to him one day asking for help with squirrels that have overrun the kitchen, Sir Rupert's skills are put to the test. He asks everyone he can find for help, but no one has practical advice, so he and his friends team up to tackle the problem on their own. This story draws on themes of asking for help, persevering no matter what, helping others in the face of adversity, and receiving approval for one's efforts even when things don't turn out the way you planned.

RubyAnn Stiegelmeier has been helping others for as long as she can remember. After her dad died when she was 11, her childhood on their family's farm became a bootcamp in creative problem solving. Writing became her way of trialing long-term strategies. As the proud aunt of 22 nieces and nephews, Sir Rupert and his many misadventures came to life from all the times she heard "auntie, tell us a story!"