The California ground squirrel, Otospermophilus beecheyi, was named for Frederick William Beechey, who explored the coast Northern California in 1826-28 as captain of His Majesty's Ship Blossom. This squirrel is sometimes called the Beechey Ground Squirrel. However, all of that aside, this is the story of one very cute ground squirrel appropriately named Charlie, who is a definite part of the ecosystem of a particular beach in La Jolla, California where the surfers surf, the California Brown Pelicans fly, and the seagulls abundant mix with the seals and the sea lions. There are those who consider guys like Charlie to be a pest, but we consider Charlie to be both delightful and entertaining and an integral part of life at the beach. So enjoy the poetry of Penelope Dyan as the photography of John D. Weigand brings Charlie's story to life And please remember that all life is precious and all life should be revered and protected. For even more delightful poetry and wonderful photography by this duo, look for "The Comeback Kids," a book series that salutes the comeback of endangered species once thought to be lost. These are all books for kids that look wonderful on any coffee table.