Book Review: Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach by Melanie Watt

Book: Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach
Author: Melanie Watt
Illustrator: Melanie Watt
Published: 2008

Scaredy Squirrel would never, ever go to the beach. Are you crazy? There could be sea monsters! Pirates! Falling coconuts! No, no, no. Far safer to build his very own beach in the shade of his very own tree. But he's missing something, and to get it, he has to go to the real beach. Oh, boy. But if he makes the most careful of plans, he just might live through it . . .

Everyone's favorite omniphobe is back in the third volume of his travails. While this would be a fun read-aloud to a group, it also offers rewards to the one-on-one reader who can pore over the pages and find the sly treats scattered throughout the illustrations. (For instance--on the box Scaredy Squirrel uses to ship himself to the beach? "May contain traces of nuts." Hehehe!) Your own cautious worrywarts will find much delight in this tale.