Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach

Scaredy Squirrel #3

by Mélanie Watt

We know by now that Scaredy Squirrel only feels safe when he's at home in his nut tree, with his defenses, his emergency kit and his back-up plans at the ready. So even though the sun is shining and it's time for a vacation, Scaredy does not want to go to the beach -- that vast, frightening place where a squirrel could get stranded. (Not to mention other hazards such as sea monsters, falling coconuts, seagulls, pirates and lobsters.)

Instead, Scaredy builds his own safe beach getaway under his nut tree, complete with germ-free inflatable pool, artificial beach scenery, a flashlight and a plastic flamingo.

Still, the lure of the genuine beach is strong -- even a dedicated homebody such as Scaredy can't resist it forever. Can his back-up plans save him from its perils? Will his No.65 sunscreen protect his delicate complexion?

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Humor, Fiction, Summer, Canada

32 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

It was in a design class taught by Michèle Lemieux at the University of Quebec in Montreal that author and illustrator Mélanie Watt created her first picture book, Leon the Chameleon, which was later published by Kids Can Press. Watt went on to create several more books, including the Learning with Animals collection and Augustine, which was named an ALA Notable Children's Book. Watt has also illustrated Where Does a Tiger-Heron Spend the Night? and Bearcub and Mama, which won the 2006 IRA Teachers' Choices Project.

Mélanie's best known book Scaredy Squirrel, has won many awards including the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award for Children's Picture Book and the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award. The release of Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend, was met with enthusiastic reviews and incredible sales, confirming the arrival of kid lit's newest superstar.

Chester,Chester's Back! and Chester's Masterpiece are about a megalomaniac cat who is every bit the antithesis to Scaredy. Chester has already become a bestseller and shows the breadth and creativity of Mélanie Watt.

Scaredy returns to take a few more tentative steps out of his comfort zone in Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach and Scaredy Squirrel at Night. Mélanie has often noted how the Scaredy Squirrel books helped her work out her own insecurities and fears, as the success of these titles has required her to venture out into the unknown, and like Scaredy she has found the experience truly uplifting.

Mélanie currently resides near Montreal, Quebec.

~From http://www.kidscanpress.com/creators/...

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Determined to avoid the dangers posed by seagulls, jellyfish, sea monsters, pirates, coconuts, and lobsters, Scaredy Orville Squirrel (S.O.S.) sets out to create his own beach in this, his third adventure. But when he discovers that his imitation is missing something, he ends up heading for the real beach after all, in a carefully orchestrated campaign that (inevitably) goes wonderfully awry.

I enjoyed Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach, and appreciated some of the little details, like Scaredy's middle name (and consequent initial scheme), as well as the continuing theme of discovery and confidence-building, in which the hero learns that the intimidating world outside his tree has many wonderful things to offer. The illustrations are bright and appealing, the format (with lots of lists) entertaining. Another winner in Mélanie Watt's ongoing picture-book series about the phobic squirrel!

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will wager that many kids will enjoy this third Scaredy Squirrel book even more than the first two books. There are people depicted in this book, and the beach scenes in particular have much more intricate drawings; there’s a lot to look at.

I don’t know if it’s because I’m no longer a fan of the beach (I was as a child!) or whether it’s because this is my third Scaredy Squirrel book and my second one right in a row, but I was slightly less enamored of this one, even though I do think it’s a good addition to this series and found many moments amusing.

[Hunter Hutchison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that it is a very well written book that makes kids laugh and have fun. I know this because my parents would read all the Scaredy Squirrel books to me before I went to bed and when I asked. I loved it, it was the best part of my day. Now that I'm thinking I really should read these books to my kids when I'm much older.

[Nancy Kotkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Text: 5 stars
Illustrations: 5 stars

Scaredy Squirrel is back, full of anxiety about new experiences and other animals. Afraid of the unknown, Scaredy Squirrel simulates the beach so that he can vacation at home by himself. His fake beach is almost perfect, but he can't hear the ocean. So he plans a brief excursion to the real beach to pick up a seashell, the type that mimics ocean sounds when you hold it up to your ear. When Scaredy Squirrel gets to the beach armed with all his emergency gear, it is crowded with friendly people having fun and he decides to join them. Good thing he brought his protective flotation device.

The book is full of Scaredy Squirrel's lists, checklists, diagrams, maps, plans, and instructions. Simple iconic illustrations complement the text perfectly.

[Pinky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Scaredy Squirrel brings a little bit of the beach home with him.

[Delphine · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is absolutely innapropriate for young children! I'm not sure what age group this book is reccomeneded for, but my kid will definitely never read this book again. This book encourages young children to run off to the beach all by themselves, just to getting a freaking seashell. I don't know about you, but I definitely wouldn't want my 6 year old girl to run off to beach by herself secretly. THANKS A LOT SCAREDY SQUIRREL FOR TEACHING MY DAUGHTER A "VERY VALUABLE" LESSON. Please, I advise you, if you don't want you're kid running off to the beach by themselves, MAKE SURE THEY DO NOT GET THEIR HANDS ON THIS BOOK!!! I mean, if you're child ran off to beach by themselves, they could get severely sunburnt!!!

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as therapeutic as the first one, or as Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend. More played for laughs. But maybe those of us vulnerable to being fretful can heal enough as we emulate Scaredy through those books to be able to giggle with him here.

[Karl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two thumbs way up. This series is charming, hilarious, and a tone of fun. Recommended for all ages. Kids will love having them read to them. Emerging readers will be filled with joy. Adults will marvel at the expert storytelling.

[Shari (Shira) · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first book is the real treasure in this series. The jokes stop being funny after you've heard them three times.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy all of the Scaredy Squirrel books. The reason I didn't rate it higher is because there are a lot of pictures and it would be hard for all the kids in a class to see them. I do love how Scaredy tries to get out of his comfort zone in all of his books.

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scaredy returns in his third book that follows the same wonderful theme as the first two. Though Scaredy would love to go to the beach there are so many wrong crowds that he could be surrounded by that he doesn't think it's wise. So Scaredy creates a beach of his own using an inflatable pool and kitty litter. But something is missing - the sounds are all wrong. So Scaredy sets off to find a seashell at the beach to put to his ear. He plans carefully but somehow doesn't factor in one little detail - people.

Watt's art is as always very fresh and fun. The quirks of Scaredy's logic and thoughts are again thoroughly entertaining. I love the touches of oven mitts, his middle name, and the care he puts into anything he does. Very funny, unique and above all child-friendly.

Highly recommended where the first two were popular. But if you don't have the first two, make sure you get those as well. The cover art will get the books moving off of your shelves and the stories will keep them coming back for more. Recommended for ages 5-7.

[Heidi-Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a much more elaborate and involved Scaredy Book than the others, but still just as humorous and fun. Especially as I near the end of a summer in which I enjoyed my own day at a beach among A CROWD. I love his fears, his plans, and the way things always end up just fine. It's a great way for me to laugh at my over-reactive self and helps me stop worrying over some of the ridiculous things that I do. I think these books are always creative and I look forward to more of Scaredy Orville Squirrel.

P.S. One of the funniest parts for me was his "messy hair" in his passport photo.

[Luann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scaredy Squirrel is getting downright adventurous! In this one he takes a trip to the beach to collect the perfect seashell to add the ocean sound to his homemade beach under his tree. His meticulous plan for the beach trip took every detail into account - except one! Once again Scaredy Squirrel finds that he is much more adaptable to unexpected circumstances than he thought. Fans of the other Scaredy Squirrel books will definitely want to read this one as well.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am loving this series more and more. Here's a squirrel who does some intense planning - and avoidance of things that scare him. Only to be exposed to them anyway. Love how he coped at the beach. And he wasn't 'dead' for as long as he usually is. Progress!

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Star means I liked it. Cute ending. I just found it hard to read outloud to my daughter.

[Ty O'Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** Spoilers ***

This is funny because at the end of the book instead of people at the beach he hangs out with gnomes and flamingos!!

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read! My daughter enjoyed it and I was pleased to see a few of her sight words for the week. Great illustrations!

[Zane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach is a 2008 children's book by Mélanie Watt, it is the third book in the wonderful series about a easily frightened squirrel.

Scaredy Squirrel is too scared to go to the beach, so he makes his own beach which involves a stick and kitty litter, among other things. But something is missing, so he has to go to the real beach to find the missing object.

Individual ratings, 1 worst, 10 best

Plot, not the greatest, but certainly entertaining. I give the plot 8/10

Artwork, better than the first 2 books, probably because the first 2 where drawn physically, while this and the rest are done digitally. 10/10

So not the greatest book in the series, but very enjoyable and entertaining, I give it a 7/10

[Sydney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Genre: Fiction
Grade Level: Lower Elementary (K-1)

I haven't read the other books in this series, but in this story, Scaredy Squirrel does not want to go to the beach and get caught up in crowds of people, flocks of seagulls, schools of fish, etc. So he decides to build his own private beach. He takes care of the scenery, the sand, the ocean, sunlight, and wildlife, but he forgets the ocean sound. Therefore, he must go to the beach to get a seashell. I did not think there was a moral to this story. I think this book was intended to be read for entertainment purposes. I am curious what the other books in this series are like. Overall, I would give this book 3 stars.

[Linda]

Scaredy Squirrel is afraid of a lot of things, and hates leaving his home in the nut tree. He's tempted by all the good things he hears about the beach, but figures that he can just build a beach in the vicinity of his home. He sets out to do just that, buying a bunch of supplies: paper to draw some nice beachy scenery, an inflatable pool to be his beach, a flashlight to simulate the sun, and so on. But, his plan lacks one important component: the soothing sounds of the water. So Scaredy decides that he must go to the beach after all in order to get a seashell that has the sounds of the ocean. He creates a detailed and elaborate plan and schedule, but of course, his plans don't go as planned.

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Scaredy Squirrel is pretty anxious about germs and things outside his control, so he's definitely not going to the beach. He sets up a fake beach at his place and it's perfect -- much better than the real beach, but it's missing a seashell.

To get a seashell, he must brave the actual beach. He gets all his emergency equipment ready, but when he gets to the beach he finds something he didn't plan for: people! And all those people are having fun.

Scaredy Squirrel gives in and enjoys his day at the beach.

Good for kids who worry about things that might happen.

[Cathy Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

Categories/Genres for this class fulfilled by this book: Mass market, easy reader.

Copyright date: 1975

Estimate of age level of interest: K-3

Estimate of reading level
Dewey: -E-; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 3.6
AR 3.6 LG .5 121306EN; RC 3.3 1; LEX AD580L; GR K

Brief description: This squirrel is literally scared of everything. So in this adventure, he decides to go to the beach. With careful, obsessive planning he goes to the real beach after he has tried to create his own at home.

Identify at least 2 characteristics of this genre and subgenre and discuss how they appear in your book. Fiction books are stories from an author's imagination with an emphasis on character development. In this series, the character trait being addressed is fear. Another characteristic of fiction is having animals talk, think, and act like people. Scaredy acts like a human, fears and all.

In what ways and how well does the book as a whole serve its intended audience? For this age group it's perfect. Even the most basic readers can understand the illustrations and methodical planning of the adorable scared squirrel. Squirrels are small and cute, so the students can identify with the character.

Awards: None for this book, but several for the series and the author.

American
ALA’s Notable Children's Books
Independent Publisher Book Awards – Picture Books 6 and under (Bronze)
Children's and YA Bloggers' Literary Awards (Cybils)
NCTE Notable Children's Books in Language Arts
Canadian:
Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award for Children’s Picture Book
OLA Blue Spruce Award 2007 & 2008
Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award

Reviews:
Booklist, 06/15/08
Horn Book Magazine, 10/01/08
Kirkus Reviews, 03/15/08
Resource Links, 06/01/08
School Library Journal, 05/01/08

[Carla · Rating 3 out of 5]

C'est un livre pour enfants insolite et délicieux. Dans ce conte, l'écureuil fait très attention à planifier tout incident ou catastrophe qui pourrait survenir afin de pouvoir vivre en toute sécurité. La première page commence en fait par un avertissement aux enfants, appliquer une crème solaire avec un indice de protection solaire de 45. Un bon livre pour discuter entre les enfants et leurs parents .

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scaredy squirrel wants to build a stay at home vacation, but it is missing the sounds. He decides to go off to the beach to get a seashell for the roar of the surf. He is scared, so he makes his plan carefully. The surprise of vast crowds of people at the beach changes things, but he has a good time.

Tags: Squirrels -- Fear -- Beaches --

[skcocnaH · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would be a solid 3.5 stars for me if not for how much my 5 year old loves them. She always tells me, “that one was 5 stars.” The illustrations are cute, and I really like how neurotic scaredy can be. It makes him very relatable. I can appreciate how he learns to adapt to situations too though.

[Emily Koszarek · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Scaredy NEVER goes to the beach. It's way too crowded"
First off- relatable!
I love this third installation of the Scaredy Squirrel series because it shows Scaredy as a true problem solver, trying to navigate the real beach as he attempts to create his very own "safe" beach.
This book is so fun and I think any kid would find it super entertaining.

[Elizabeth Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

normally i read a kindle FIRE version, this 1 was from my local library leaning program and it was through my ebrowser. fun times!! this series is such a fun read. please read it, gift it, whatever you so desire ...i am really happy to have read it. it will make you smile. laugh and giggle. 2 cute!! love it!! don't forget your SPF.

[Addison Millan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked “scaredy squirrel at the beach” because he was scared in the beginning. He did not want to go to the beach because there were a lot of scary creatures. Next, he made his own beach but he needed a sea shell to make it have the sound. Lastly, he decided he likes the beach more. He forgot about all the scary monsters.

[Sarah Alamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

We're so proud of you for reading "Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach"! You learned something really important - the things we're scared of aren't always as scary as we think. Like Scaredy Squirrel, you can be brave and try new things even when you feel a little worried. Next time something seems scary, remember it might turn out to be fun! You did such a wonderful job reading this book, sweetheart.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scaredy Squirrel is always freaking out about something! In this book he's scared to go to the beach. Once he's there, though, he realizes he actually likes it. Natalie thought this one was hilarious.