The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration - Book Fifty

A few years ago a very unique character called Scaredy Squirrel stepped onto the picture book scene. I quickly fell in love with the multi-phobic squirrel who is afraid of just about everything. Here is a review of his newest book.

Scaredy Squirrel has a birthday party

Melanie Watt

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 8

Kids Can Press, 2011, 978-1-55453-468-5

   Scaredy Squirrel is a very cautious animal, which is why he has never had a proper birthday party. Every year he celebrates “alone quietly up in his tree,” because he does not want to have a party on the ground and risk “being taken by surprise.” After all, everyone knows that the ground is a dangerous place.

   Scaredy is all ready to mail his birthday party invitation to himself (and only himself), when he discovers that Buddy has sent him a birthday card. Touched by Buddy’s kindness, Scaredy decides to invite him to his birthday party.

   Buddy is a dog, so Scaredy is going to have to move his party from his nice safe tree to the ground below. This is going to require careful planning, and he sets about making sure that his party is not ruined by the arrival of bigfoot, ants, clownfish, ponies, porcupines, and/or a superfluity of confetti. He also works on safe topics of conversation, the dos and don’ts of partying, and a detailed party schedule. Scaredy is sure that he has got all the bases covered, but it turns out that he has failed to take one very important possibility into consideration.

   This hilarious Scaredy Squirrel title will have readers chuckling in no time. There is no doubt that Scaredy, with his fear of anything that is not planned and under control, is a character who is both appealing and loveable. Young readers will enjoy looking at the unique format that Melanie Watts uses, and they will love the way the story takes a very unexpected turn.

You can find out more about Scaredy on his Facebook Page (no I am not kidding) and his YouTube page (I'm still not kidding.)