I have this memory of a book about squirrels living in a village in the woods. My memory includes the cover: soft green hardcover book, that I discovered in the my grade school library in the 1950’s. That’s about all I remember about it but it captivated my imagination then.
In 1917, Thornton W. Burgess wrote “The Adventures of Chatterer the Red Squirrel” but I don’t remember there being a village.
Was it Uncle Wiggly and Johnny & Billy Bushytail?
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/uncle-wiggily-johnny-billie-bushytail-89826540