Scaredy Squirrel
Written and Illustrated by: Melanie Watt
Recommended for ages: 4-8
Kids Can Press $8.95

We’ve all been there…afraid to try something new yet a little tired of our regular routine. Scaredy Squirrel is a creature that tackles this problem head-on. Day in and day out, Scaredy Squirrel does the same thing: wake up, eat a nut, look at the view, eat a nut and go to sleep. This is all very safe and secure for an animal who is terrified of the “unknown”. For Scaredy the “unknown” includes tarantulas, poison ivy, green martians, killer bees and germs. He is very comfortable in his nut tree and like any rational being he weighs the pros and cons of staying in the nut tree. The advantages of staying put include having a great view and enjoying plenty of nuts. Strangely enough these advantages are also the disadvantages of remaining status quo.

Just like a good Boy Scout, Scaredy is always prepared. He maintains a fully stocked emergency kit in case something out of the ordinary happens. Then on Thursday at 9:37am a killer bee appears and Scaredy jumps from his abode knocking his kit out of the tree. This was not part of the plan. As he descends from the tree, he soon discovers he is no ordinary squirrel…he’s a flying squirrel. After this life-changing event, no day is the same for Scaredy. He discovers there is a world beyond his tree (and it’s really not that scary after all!)

The Scaredy Squirrel series includes other funny stories about coming out of your comfort zone: Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach and Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend.