Scaredy Squirrel

Written by Melanie Watt

Narrated by David deVries

Scaredy Squirrel never leaves his nut tree. It's way too dangerous out there! Day after day he watches and waits, and waits and watches, until one day… his worst nightmare comes true! Scaredy Squirrel suddenly finds himself out of his tree. As he leaps into the unknown, he discovers something really uplifting and surprising about himself.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Weston Woods
• Release date: Jan 1, 2011
• ISBN: 9780545836364

Melanie Watt

Mélanie Watt never leaves her home near Montreal, Quebec. She would rather concentrate on creating books for kids. Mélanie Watt’s daily routine consists of waking up, eating, writing, drawing, erasing, drawing, eating and going to sleep. Mélanie’s books include: LEON THE CHAMELEON AUGUSTINE CHESTER CHESTER’S BACK! And Scaredy’s other adventures . . . P.S. Mélanie Watt is also afraid of sharks.

Reviews for Scaredy Squirrel

[lorren3jackson · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Summary:Scaredy Squirrel is too scared to leave his nut tree. He stays in his nut tree all day because it's a familiar and safe place to him, but one day he decided to adventure out. He created an emergency survival kit incase something happened. He adventured out and his emergency kit didn't work the way he planned. His kit fell from an unknown nut tree and as Scaredy Squirrel tried to catch it he realized that he wasn't just an ordinary squirrel, but a flying squirrel!Personal Reaction:I love that this story shows that is you never try to overcome your fears, then you may be missing out on something that you didn't know you could do. I enjoyed this story because I was once like a "Scaredy Squirrel". I have found out a lot about me that I didn't know I could do until I adventured out and had plans go wrong, like he did with his emergency kit.Classroom Extension Ideas:1. In the classroom, the teacher could have her students make their own emergency survival kit with stuff they would take to an "unknown" place. 2. In the classroom, the teacher could have her students share stories about stuff that they are scared of and what they could do to change their fear.

[ehayne1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is so cute! It starts out describing Scaredy Squirrel and his plan for if anything goes wrong. He has an emergency kit and never leaves his nut tree. One day, he is forced to leave his tree and discovers that he can fly, and that they world outside his tree is not scary anymore. He overcomes his fear and ventures out of his tree much more often. This book encourages children to be courageous and try new things. I like this book because as a child, I was often scared to try new things, but this book shows that new things are not always bad. The illustrations are comical and help young readers know what the book is talking about when it discusses words like "emergency kit."

[renee0sutter · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

We read this story the first day of class and I loved it. Scaredy Squirrel realized that the world around his can be scary but also very fun. I can’t wait to read this to kids.

[ekstewar_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Summary: This is the story of a squirrel who is scared of everything outside of the tree he lives in. One day, when a 'killer' bee flies by and messes up Squirrel's plans he realizes that life is a lot more fun when you step outside of the tree. Genre: Picture BookPersonal Reflection: I think this is a really cute story that kids could relate to. Everyone is scared of something sometimes. A lot of us are scared of the unknown, just like Scaredy Squirrel. The illustrations complement the story well.Concept: I think kids could really relate to this story and the fear of the unknown. It might be an interesting lesson to have kids write down what they are scared of most and then have everyone share to see that most of them are scared of the same things and they aren't alone.

[briannamaeee · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Scaredy Squirrel is about a squirrel who is too afraid to change his daily routine because he has many fears. But one day he drops his safety kit and accidetnly jumps after it, only to realize that he is a flying squirrel and its okay to do things he has not done before. The illustrations in the book are cute and match the story well. It shows kids that its okay to go outside the dotted line sometimes to discover who they really are. A must read!

[bibliofool · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a big hit with my nephew (4), who just loved the wacky, neurotic squirrel and his fear of the great unknown.

[messerpicks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Adorable story about a very scared squirrel, who, I think, has OCD. This would be a great story to read to any child if they are afraid of something, because it would help them face their fears. So cute!

[kwhite18 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In my opinion this is a wonderful book to read to young children. The main character in the story begins by telling us all of his fears and how he avoids them, but throughout the story he eventually has to face his fears and he then realizes that they aren't so scary after all. Therefore, this main character is very well-developed since we watch as he goes from a "Scaredy Squirrel" to a quite brave squirrel! The illustrations helped to show the reader how frightened the squirrel initially was. On the first page before the story had even started, there was a "warning" urging readers to wash their hands before continuing. Germs were one of the Scared Squirrels fears. This helped to show the read how truly scared he was. As the plot develops throughout the story, we see the squirrel fall out of his safe tree and then realize that none of his fears were happening, like he predicted. This well organized and sequential story line takes the reader along a journey as a squirrel slowly overcomes his fears, all by himself. The conflict of the squirrel falling out of the tree is what the squirrel always feared, but his fears were proven to be irrational when he was on the ground, no longer in the tree, and still alive and healthy. The big idea represented in this story is that it is okay to have fears, but we should not limit our lives because of them.

[jessie_bear_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Scaredy Squirrel is a homebody, afraid to leave his tree for the vast unknown for fear of germs, killer bees, sharks, green Martians, etc. This delightful tale teaches kids about taking new chances or trying something new, but reads in a humorous rather than didactic tone. Scaredy Squirrel is an exaggerated character with strict routines and organized rational lists. He’s endearing to children and a memorable character. Scaredy Squirrel’s lists and diagrams also contribute to a unique storytelling format, enhancing the more traditional prose. Watt’s illustrations are done in charcoal and acrylic, using thick black lines and color which doesn’t entirely fill their shapes. The discovery that Scaredy Squirrel chances upon is well-concealed in a fold-out page, allowing readers to find out information about Scaredy at the same time he finds it out himself. Keeping this discovery on one page adds to the sequential order of movement depicted and is overall very effective. This charming picture book is recommend for children ages five to eight.

[nancystorm · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Scaredy Squirrel is just that -- a timid, shy squirrel who wants to stay safe inside the little hole in the tree where he is comfortable and will not have to encounter any challenges or take risks. He finds, however, that there are some exciting things out in the big wide world and with a little preparation, he can venture out and still have a good life. Great book for shy youngsters!

[ramfam5 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I gave this book 4 stars. I read this to my 2nd grade class the first week of school. They just loved it. We talked about how the squirrel was scared of the unknown. Then we talked about how things are always scary until they are not. Great book! Kids really love it.

[aspirit-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A joke adventure book. My young reader says "It's a five! Maybe a four." I'm not sure she takes anything but a few laughs away after each reading. The conflicts don't really make sense. The character changes but doesn't learn anything that would be obvious from the beginning to any child who has been outside, ever. The caution of poison ivy is good, I guess. I'm averaging our ratings.

[andreawallin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Reaction: Watt’s cleverly written book and simple but effective illustrations make this such an enjoyable book to read aloud. My son’s favourite part is hearing about the contents of his emergency kit.

[arielaver · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Scaredy Squirrel is very funny--and a little bit sad. Being that scared is a sad state of affairs, but his coping mechanisms are hilarious. He is sure to inspire any young (or old) readers to re-examine their fears in favor of just a little courage.

[heidijones · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I purchased these books for my son when he was 6. He was afraid of everything! He was most afraid of anything new, that he had never tried before. While there are positives to wanting to observe and analyze particular situations, he was so worried all the time. We both really connected with the adorable character Scaredy Squirrel. This is a light-hearted story that illustrates the world of the "Nervous Nellies" and opens the door for discussion between child and adult. These stories are fun to listen to, and fun to read! I also love the design and layout of the text and pictures.

[hreilly_16 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this book a lot. The illustrations brought this silly story to life. Scaredy Squirrel is a squirrel with a very active imagination. It is so active that he has trouble sleeping at night for fear of mysterious monsters. He devises a series of booby traps to keep the monsters away and realizes that they were all in his head. This would be a great book for children that have similar nighttime fears.

[tiburon_2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A squirrel discovers his hidden talents when he falls out of his safe haven of a tree one day. This contains a lesson about the value in one's willingness to try new things.

[jordan70-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The story of a squirrel who is scared of everything and accidentally is put in a situation where he has no choice but to face the world and his fears. He learns something rewarding about himself in the process. Great book for early elementary/pre-k classroom.

[mountie9_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of the best kids books EVER. Adults and children alike will love Scaredy and his issues. I recommend this one to everyone whether you have kids or not.

[megantrue · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love this! So many children have big fears and if they just let go they can find their "secret power" of being able to soar!

[allie_mansfield_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Another favorite of Melanie Watt's. The illustrations are just fabulous. Great humor thorughout the book.

[jherrm1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

In my opinion this was a great book to read to young children. This book represents a squirrel who is afraid of the unknown because they don't know what is out there. I think this book teaches students a great lesson about stepping out of their comfort zones in order to find out what else there is out there in our world. I thought that the illustrations were very detailed and funny which would keep the readers interesting throughout the story. I also really liked the font that the author used because it wasn't typical, it was fun. I would recommend teachers to read this to young readers around 2nd grade to show them it is alright to be themselves and step out of their comfort zone to explore new things that are around them.

[meditationesmartini · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

V. cute. I love the cute asides, the winning metanarrative, the way Scaredy Squirrel micromanages your progress through his book. I like that the author is also afraid of sharks. I like also that you don't expect the inspiring twist until it comes--but ALSO that you see it coming just before it does.

[jenniferlsimpson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Scaredy is an paranoid squirrel who has a fear of the unknown and many phobias. He sits in his nut tree day after day doing the same thing. Just in case something scary shows up, he has a emergency kit, agenda, and plan for everything. However, one day things do not go as planned, and this results in panic, a surprise, momentary death, and eventually an adjustment to regularly scheduled events.

[kellybryan_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Hilarious book, even for an adult. The illustrations are wonderful and keep the child engaged in the book. It is a story about facing your fears. Scaredy Squirrel was afraid to leave the tree but soon found out that nothing bad would happen to him. A great lesson for children to learn.A great book to read to class as it does teach a face your fears lesson. Perhaps, you could have a discussion with your students on their fears and come up with ways to help them face their fears.

[bphill5 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really like this book. The main idea is that it is OK to be scared of things. I like this book because of its organization. For example, many of its pages are laid out like a graphic organizer, which makes it more fun to read, and allows for many more illustrations. I also like this book because of the character. Scaredy Squirrel has a lot of the same fears that many children have (germs, sharks, mosquitoes, etc.). Even though some of them are silly, they're still relative to children's lives, as many children are afraid of things.I like that Scaredy Squirrel is a squirrel, so anyone can relate to him and his fears. He isn't a defined culture or race or identity, so it allows the reader to picture their selves as him or connect their fears to his.

[francescadefreitas · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A neurotic squirrel follows a strict daily routine and is terrified of leaving his tree. He is prepared for disaster - until it actually occurs. If only management would use this as a design guide for powerpoint presentations. This might e funnier for adults than for small children, but I enjoyed reading it aloud, and there's plenty of scope for talk.

[eriksalvail · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Scaredy Squirrel is a quirky little character who's afraid of leaving his tree for a variety of reasons, unfortunately even our best laid plans for staying safe and sound can go wrong, and for Scaredy Squirrel, it is no different. Hilariously written and illustrated by Melanie Watt, Scaredy Squirrel is the tale of how it's a positive life change when we venture out from our comfort zone. I highly recommend this book for all children and adults, it will have they whole family laughing out loud, even just before bedtime.

[wickedshizuku · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was absolutely adorable, and I as a parent connected a lot with this writers style and humor. My daughter and I wonder what will be next these humorous books. Very wordy and entertaining, filled with list making and many puns.

[gayldashersmith · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This takes a tongue-in-cheek swipe at all those who live in fear of germs, weather and all that lurks in the unknown. The worksheets will seem too familiar to the book's audience.