Scaredy Squirrel Becomes Less of a Loner and Makes a Friend

I love squirrels. I’m also a bit of a wimp. So I’ve really been getting a kick out of the Scaredy Squirrel series by Melanie Watt. The main character is a slightly deranged-looking squirrel who lives all alone in a tree, generally keeping to himself and staying inside as much as possible. He’s a recluse and a loner. I can relate. But in Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend, he thinks he may be ready to reach out and touch someone. It’s a big step. But it could be the best thing for him.

This book, like the others in the series, comes equipped with warnings, lists and complicated schematics. Watt’s illustrations are cartoonish and silly, while her writing style is simple but chaotic, reflecting her squirrel’s state of mind. She writes in the present tense, so it’s as though Scaredy and the reader are experiencing everything together. The focus here is on his solitary existence, which he likes just fine... mostly. But when he spots what he believes could be a suitable playmate, he can’t resist trying to change his circumstances just a bit.

As always, Scaredy’s specific fears are rather ridiculous. He is afraid of animals with large teeth, which include beavers and bunnies, along with piranhas, walruses and Godzilla. While the first two are unlikely to pose much threat to a squirrel and the last three are almost certain not to be found in his quiet little corner of the woods, these are the animals he has in mind as he comes up with an elaborate plan to introduce himself to the inoffensive creature who has apparently just moved into the neighborhood.

That animal is a goldfish, and frankly I don’t know how, out of the blue, it ended up in the fountain in Scaredy’s front yard. Seems suspect to me. Nonetheless, Scaredy sees great friend potential, since this is an animal that cannot harm him. Of course, it can’t do much of anything else, either. But at least it is safe. I love Scaredy’s list of essential friend-making objects and the explanatory notes indicating why they will come in handy. Most of all, I like Scaredy’s Risk Test, which asks strange animals to use checkmarks to answer a series of questions, including “What do you see?” above a picture of a squirrel, with the possible answers “friend” and “something to bite”.

This is a very funny book. There’s also a practical suggestion or two slipped in among the silliness. On one page, for instance, Scaredy reviews how he will react if approached by a potentially hostile animal, and most of these strategies seem solid for children as well. Also, as he is so preoccupied with teeth in this book, there is a warning at the beginning instructing children to brush their teeth.

Making a new friend can be a nerve-wracking task. But, as Scaredy learns, it needn’t be complicated, and new friends can turn up in unexpected ways. While he is right to show caution in dealing with strangers, Watt, with her upbeat ending, emphasizes the value of friendship and of keeping one’s first impressions in check when judging another’s compatibility.