OH DEER!
When a loner sasquatch’s turnip garden is besieged by deer, he’s having none of that.
For Jasper, life as a sasquatch isn’t too bad. He has a nice house in the woods where he lives alone. Just the way he likes it. Being around other animals can be a little stressful. So Jasper keeps to himself, and life is good, even if some days are a bit lonely. To keep himself busy, Jasper decides to grow a turnip garden. It’s hard work but it’s very satisfying. With caretaking, the garden should yield a bountiful crop of yummy turnips.
But one morning, just as the turnips are almost ready for harvest . . . disaster! Hungry deer have swooped in to eat Jasper’s garden! Clever Jasper comes up with a way to thwart these turnip thieves. But as it turns out, the deer are even more clever. Though Jasper tries more and more ways to keep his veggies safe, nothing seems to work.
Then the situation changes, and someone special needs some help. Maybe a little company isn’t such a bad thing.
| Interest Level | Kindergarten - Grade 3 |
|---|---|
| Reading Level | Grade 1 |
| Dewey | E |
| Lexile | 520L |
| ATOS Reading Level | |
| Guided Reading Level | L |
| Publisher | Sleeping Bear Press |
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Available Formats | Hardcover (9781534113398), PDF (9781668955857), ePub (9781668955345), Hosted ebook (9781668955512), Kindle (9781668955680) |
| Copyright | 2025 |
| Number of Pages | 32 |
| Dimensions | 10 x 10 |
| Graphics | Full-color illustrations |
- Arizona Library Association - Grand Canyon Reader Award Nominee
Archimedes Notebook - OH DEER!
I can hear you already: “But Sue, this isn’t a STEM book! It is a work of mythological proportions!” You are correct. And yet it pairs well with Seasons on the Farm because, who gets to eat all those yummy crops. Besides us? Deer, of course! And for an all-alone sasquatch who wants to harvest his first crop of turnips, deer can be quite a problem. Jasper does not want to share his luscious, yummy turnip tops with anyone – and goes to great lengths to protect them. He tries a fence. He tries netting. He even hangs old CD’s and pots and pans. What I like about this book: I like Jasper’s inventiveness. I also like how this book is about more than protecting turnip greens. Because, at the end he realizes that there are good reasons to share your veggies. And he discovers a way to have both solitude and a few close friends.
Midwest Book Review - OH DEER!
Phaea Crede’s Oh Deer! (9781534113398, $18.99) also benefits from especially vivid illustration (by Erica J. Chen) as it surveys the life of a Sasquatch that lives in a nice house in the woods away from the stress of other animals.
Jasper decides to grow a turnip garden—and this is where trouble begins as the turnips come close to harvest, only to meet their maker in the form of hungry deer who are decimating Jasper’s garden at harvest time.
How can Jasper rid his life of these turnip thieves? The story evolves into one of who is cleverer in a tale that gardeners will especially relate to, and which parents will enjoy reading to the very young, with its colorful confrontations and opportunities for dramatizing sounds.
Donovan's Literary Services - OH DEER!
Phaea Crede’s Oh Deer! (9781534113398, $18.99) also benefits from especially vivid illustration (by Erica J. Chen) as it surveys the life of a Sasquatch that lives in a nice house in the woods away from the stress of other animals.
Jasper decides to grow a turnip garden—and this is where trouble begins as the turnips come close to harvest, only to meet their maker in the form of hungry deer who are decimating Jasper’s garden at harvest time.
How can Jasper rid his life of these turnip thieves? The story evolves into one of who is cleverer in a tale that gardeners will especially relate to, and which parents will enjoy reading to the very young, with its colorful confrontations and opportunities for dramatizing sounds.
Boswell Book Company - Oh Deer!
This story is extremely creative and sure to captivate kids of all ages.
Kirkus - Oh Deer!
An entertaining tale with an affirming message for introverts.
Author: Phaea Crede
Phaea Crede writes silly stories for silly kids. Serious kids, too! She is the author of the picture books Jet the Cat (is Not a Cat), Super Pizza & Kid Kale, and more. Phaea lives near Boston with her husband, two kiddos, two cats, and 50-pound lap dog named Frieda. Most of them won’t eat turnips.
Illustrator: Erica J. Chen
Erica J. Chen is a Bay Area artist who currently resides on a farm in Nova Scotia where she is surrounded by deer, but no sasquatches (that she’s aware of). She is also the illustrator of Purr-im Time! and its upcoming sequel. When she is not drawing, Erica is busy annoying her corgi Luna and dreaming about all the cute animals she wants to meet.
| Original artwork |
| Full-color illustrations |