FernFolio

Afraid of getting close to someone who might prove dangerous, Scaredy Squirrel has never had a friend. But, bored and tired of thinking up activities to do by himself, Scaredy leaps at the opportunity to make friends with the goldfish who lives in the fountain near his nut tree. While the goldfish might not be the most exciting companion, Scaredy is confident that, since he has no teeth, the goldfish won’t be a biter. He prepares carefully before approaching the goldfish, making a list of things he will need to make a good first impression, including mittens to cover his sweaty paws and an air freshener for that pine-tree scent, and drawing a detailed map to plot his course from the nut tree to the fountain.
Scaredy gets all the way to step two of his plan when the unexpected happens, and he is confronted by a dog. Though terrified, at first, but this large, smelly and exuberant creature, who has a full set of teeth, Scaredy learns that friends are sometimes found in unexpected places and that relationships involve a certain amount of risk!
Once again, Mélanie Watt has woven a story about a small creature whose social anxieties mirror our own insecurities. Her striking illustrations compliment a text that is both humorous and touching. A fine sequel to Scaredy Squirrel!
Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend won the 2008 Blue Spruce prize.
FernFolio Editor