School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Cyril is lonely. He is the only squirrel in the entirety of Lake Park. Until one day he meets Pat! Pat is a large, gray squirrel, or so Cyril thinks. He and Pat spend their days doing what squirrels do: putting on puppet shows, riding skateboards, playing hide-and-seek, scaring pigeons, stealing bread from ducks, and being chased by Slim the dog. Whatever they do, they do it together. And wherever they go, Cyril is told that Pat is "dirty" and "thieving," and he just isn't like him. Eventually, Cyril discovers that his friend Pat is indeed a rat. And squirrels can't be friends with rats! So Cyril is alone again and before long he finds himself in trouble. When he is rescued by his true friend Pat, Cyril realizes that friendship is more important than many things, including worrying about what others think. Lake Park still only has one squirrel, but he is never alone anymore, thanks to his brave best friend, Pat the rat. Gravett continues to impress by combining her colorful and witty illustrations with a sweet story while simultaneously sneaking in a very important lesson. This time, it's about the dangers of prejudice and stereotypes as well as the power of friendship. VERDICT An excellent read-aloud recommended for libraries everywhere.-Elizabeth Blake, Brooklyn Public Library © Copyright 2019. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Cyril, a lonely squirrel, is having so much fun with his new friend, Pat, that he doesn't notice Pat is not actually another squirrel. And when other park animals try to point out why Pat is different, Cyril won't listen. But one day, Pat's true identity becomes unavoidable when humans in the park see Pat and flee: Pat, as readers will already know, is a rat. That seems to be the end of the friendship ("SQUIRRELS CAN'T BE FRIENDS WITH RATS!" a pigeon squawks), until Pat, in an act of bravery, reaffirms what Cyril knew in his heart along: real friendship has nothing to do with appearance. Gravett (Old Hat) possesses a cinematic sense of framing, and she fills her pages with wonderful visual bits-in one spread, a bird's-eye view of the park traces the paths Pat and Cyril take to outwit a dog. She's also created terrific ensemble of characters, from the self-important, rat-hating park denizens (a duck literally takes Cyril under one wing) to the titular duo, whose bright eyes and deep affection for one another are positively buoyant. Ages 4-8. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
