Published by Happy Cat Books, an imprint of Catnip Publishing, 2008.

Our favourite anxious squirrel is back! This time he’s considering leaving the safety of his tree in a bid to make a friend. For a long time he’s preferred to remain friendless because he’s scared of getting bitten by someone dangerous and toothy, should he venture out to look for a friend.

It’s only when he spots the perfect potential friend, a goldfish, that he decides it’s worth the risk of leaving his tree. Naturally, he prepares well for occasion. He has a list of items necessary for making the perfect first impression, and he’s hatched the perfect plan for safely navigating the journey from his tree to the ornamental fountain where the goldfish lives.

However, Scaredy Squirrel soon discovers that even the best laid plans can’t prepare for every eventuality and his are thrown into disarray by the arrival of a very energetic, friendly dog.

In her illustrations, Melanie Watt uses plans, diagrams, lists and checklists to great comic effect. The tone of the book is lighthearted and funny. We love Scaredy Squirrel and his catastrophising personality. His over-cautious planning is endearing and contributes to the gentle humour of the story.

The message of the book is a positive one: it’s ok and perfectly normal to worry but very often things aren’t as bad as you imagine.

Rating: 💙💙💙💙💙

Suitable for children aged 3+

We borrowed his book from Solihull Libraries.