Earl the Squirrel by Don Freeman*

This title made my first grader giggle!
Earl's mother is trying to train him to be a resourceful squirrel and becomes exasperated when he gets acorns, an nut cracker, and a red scarf from his human friend, Jill.  One night Earl leaves the comfort of his home to prove to his mother that he is capable of finding acorns without help.  He finds himself in a predicament which later proves helpful!
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.