• Age: 4 to 7
• Grade: 1 to 12

An enterprising rat discovers the joy of being true to himself

At the park, people give squirrels free peanuts. And nobody screams when a squirrel crosses their path. But for Rat, it’s all screams and no nuts … until he comes up with a plan: be more like a squirrel—squirrel-ish!

When his attempts at adopting a squirrel-ish posture and pinning his ears down don’t make a difference, Rat considers his tail. And after a few crafty but failed squirrel-ish tail prototypes made from cotton balls, feathers, and spaghetti, he lands on a winning material: straw from a broom!

Finally, Rat can walk through the park without getting shooed. Free peanut in hand, he daydreams about building a re-tail empire … until the dogs in the park spot him and give chase. All of a sudden, Rat understands why squirrels do so much scampering! Maybe his rat tail isn’t so bad after all …

Brightly illustrated and packed with hilarious details and hidden gags, this laugh-out-loud ode to self-love reminds readers that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.

BAMBI EDLUND is an illustrator, writer, and peanut butter sandwich enthusiast living on the Sunshine Coast in British Columbia. She spends much of her time drawing, sculpting, and chatting with the various critters that live nearby. She is determined to someday teach a raccoon to juggle ... but so far they just roll their eyes at her and steal her oranges.

Bambi Edlund's profile page

"This is a fun addition to storytimes about identity and will be an oft repeated request for bedtime read alouds."

Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database

"A strong choice for laugh-filled storytime. Amid those laughs, though, is a solid message about the perils of trying to be something you're not, which is a useful takeaway for little ones."

Booklist

"A perfectly goofy, inviting testament to the familiar adage about the grass being greener on the other side."

Kirkus Reviews