Mélanie WattReseñas

This book was a really fun way to talk about feelings and how we process them. My students enjoyed the discussions we were having around the read aloud I did with them for this book. The fly was relatable to my students when they realized we all are sometimes put into situations that we don't always want to be in. While we may react differently, or handle things in different ways, we may be processing and experiencing similar emotions. I will definitely be using this book again in future read alouds with my students to facilitate more discussion, and ways we are similar and how we may similarly process and experience things in a fun way.

This book was very intentional on covering the 5 stages of grief. The beauty of this book was that it could be reread multiple times to experience the story being told through 2 different characters. Having been an Elementary School Teacher Librarian, this book would be a good read from Kindergarten through 5th grade. This book would also be a great addition to an Elementary School Counselor. The illustrations were beautiful and really help tell the story of the fly and the dog.

Bug in a Vacuum is SO much fun. The illustrations are done in such a captivating manner that help you predict and call back on the narrative of the story. Reading this with early elementary schoolers is so much fun as there are many natural parts that encourage the reader to guess what will happen next. This had me and the kiddos laughing. Truly an awesome read, great length, great illustrations, hilarious narrative!

A very clever book that references the stages of grief as experienced through a fly stuck in a vacuum. My kiddos loved following the trail of the fly with their finger across the pages, and I enjoyed the clever descriptions of denial, anger, acceptance, etc what was illustrated in both the story and clever illustrations. I enjoyed this book and I think the kids at my school will enjoy it too. I received an advanced reader copy of this book through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program in exchange for an honest review.

It's cute! Fun book for kids, even older kids

A bug, going through the 5 stages of grieving after being sucked up by a vacuum. This story is a stand out for understanding the grieving process through something as simple as a bug. Each stage is cleverly presented, then we see the process the bug goes through while experiencing it. My roommate works for the state as a coach for child care providers, I shared it with her - she loved it and immediately wrote down the info of the book to recommend it as opportunity arises.

Thank you to Tundra Books for an Advance Reader Copy , and LibraryThing for the chance to review it. "Bug in a Vacuum" by Melanie Watt is a beautifully illustrated and an emotional picture book that navigates the complex feelings of loss and acceptance in a sensitive and relatable way. The story follows a bug who finds itself trapped in a vacuum cleaner after flying into a home, and as it explores its new environment, it reflects on the stages of grief and the process of moving on.



Watt's writing is accessible, capturing the bug's journey through denial, anger, bargaining, sadness, and finally, acceptance. The bug's experiences mirror those of readers who may have faced loss in their own lives, making the book a valuable tool for starting conversations about grief and coping mechanisms with children. This book would have been a valuable book when my kids were younger, and our beloved cat had to be put to sleep.



The illustrations in "Bug in a Vacuum" are vibrant and expressive, perfectly complementing the text and enhancing the emotional depth of the story. The use of color and detail helps to convey the bug's changing emotions and environments it encounters within the vacuum cleaner.



Overall, "Bug in a Vacuum" is a touching and thought-provoking book that offers a gentle exploration of loss and resilience. It is a valuable addition to any library, providing comfort and understanding for readers of all ages.

Today I received a free copy of this book for review. It took several weeks for the book to arrive. It is a paperback book in new condition. The illustrations in this book are so adorable. I don't like bugs but the main character in this book is so cute with it's big "bug" eyes. Each page of the book including the title page has colorful, cartoon-like drawings that look very realistic. The writing style is very humorus which will appeal to children and to adults reading this book to children. I was surprised to see so many pages in a picture book, I would guess it has twice as many as a standard children's picture book. The story flows quickly with an easy to read pace that has just enough suspense to draw the reader into the book and want to change the page to find out what is going to happen next. The book apears to be broken up into sections or chapters with each of them guiding the reader through the five stages of grief. This was unexpected given it's a children's book. I think the illustrations and text will appeal to a wide range of readers from young children to older children and even adults. I anticipate that this book will become a bestselling, award-winning children's book. If I had young children I would enjoy reading it to them. It would make a nice gift for a child. I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages. The main character of the book is very likeable and his actions and reactions are typical for how a person might react if found in this situation. It's a very cute story and it has a sweet ending.

This is so cute! The story and illustrations are adorable. I recommend it as part of a lesson on making friends.

Scaredy Squirrel and his pals are at it again to celebrate Christmas. He's still just as high-strung and neurotic as ever, but his friends help him to celebrate a fun day. Personally, I found this book to be just a little *too* long, but still enjoyed it nonetheless. Happy to read it with my nephews, who are big Scaredy fans.

This is another great addition to the Scaredy Squirrel collection. Follow Scaredy Squirrel and his friends as he tries to have the most perfect Christmas! It is fun, silly, and will having kids laugh out loud. With lessons about learning how not everything needs to happen the way you think for it to be perfect. Thank you to Early Reviewers and the publisher for a review copy.

I received this book as a part of the Thing Early Reviewers Program. I thought this was a fun and festive addition to the Scaredy Squirrel series. Such an engaging way to tell a story, perfect for the holiday season.

As good as the first!

Imagine my horror upon opening a brand new library book and finding it ripped. Ripped! Then I realized it's all part of Melanie Watt's cleverness. How cheeky.

I don't know how familiar young children are with the slimy salesman stereotype, but it's funny nonetheless, even if it is basically an infomercial turned into a book.

This is a funny book about a hyper phobic squirrel. I tried it at storytime once, but it didn't work out as well as I'd hoped because of all the asides. Probably better for one-on-one sharing.

I found this a little annoying, but there's no doubt in my mind that some little ones will think it's hilarious. And there's a sort of meta-textual lesson in it, too, I guess.

I am sure of the intended audience for this Children's book. I think it would be best read aloud and eliciting lots of feedback from the child audience to make it at all exciting. I find Scaredy Squirrel quite annoying, especially his pursuit of the "perfect" in everything Although he does have to make some compromises, none of his friends question his motivations. I think a more open discussion of the need to compromise when faced with obstacles to perfection could be better explored.

independent reading level: PK-3

This book has really cute characters and pictures. I especially enjoyed the holiday troublemakers. At first I was concerned about the focus on perfection, but the book as a whole shows that even with a ton of preparation, things will go wrong, and the perfect holiday includes compromise, creativity, and flexible expectations. It also shows that everyone's is different and likes different things which is important to recognize when celebrating together. Overall, this was a fun, cute book.

Scaredy Squirrel has a perfect plan to get ready for a perfect Christmas. He has prepared a To-Do Checklist and is a little panicky because his list is quite long. When his friends offer to help, chaos and fun ensue. Melanie Watt has written a fun and festive graphic novel that is perfect for kids and adults! I thank Librarything and Tundra Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

My 11 year old boy has a been a Scaredy Squirrel fan since he was a small boy; when he saw this book he stole it from his younger brothers. He then proceeded to read the graphic novel version to his 2 year old brother which left both of them in fits of giggles. My 5 and 7 year old boys enjoyed the story, illustrations, and text for a quick read. This is a great addition to the Scaredy Squirrel collection.

This is a cheerful colorful graphic novel. One of my children is beginning reader and was excited to read this to themself. It definitely has some more advanced reading words. My youngest child did read it all, but not in one sitting, and they got frustrated by vocabulary a few times. The picture books are easier for my youngest to read. My fifth grader read it to herself, no problem. They both enjoyed the animals silly antics. While the graphic novel format appeals to my kids, it's definitely geared towards newer readers but not true beginners... probably around 2nd-4th grade. If your kids like Scaredy Squirrel, they will enjoy this book. The graphic novel has a similar tone and feel to the picture books. It's a fun Christmas story.

I love the Scaredy Squirrel books, I find them so funny, so I was really excited to read my first Scaredy Squirrel graphic novel. The format holds up well to the original picture books, and the writing and illustrations are still just as witty and charming. This book would be great for an early reader who grew up having the Scaredy Squirrel books read to them and is now able to read on their own.

I received a free copy of Scaredy Squirrel Festive by Melanie Watt in exchange for an honest review.

We can all get a little squirrely around the holiday season. Melanie Watt’s lovable and anxious rodent ‘Scaredy Squirrel” is no different. This latest book follows the Scaredy Squirrel series form. The over-prepared character must plan the perfect holiday. With the help of three friends, the decorating and festivities get underway but what has Scaredy Squirrel not foreseen? Cozy up in your favourite Christmas sweater and enjoy another adventure where Scaredy Squirrel tackles several festive challenges.

Review by a 10-year-old:
In this book Scaredy Squirrel, who is scared of pretty much everything, tries to plan a perfect Christmas that doesn't have abominable snowmen, pointy elves or toothy nutcrackers. I liked the book, it was happy and funny. It is just as good as the other Scaredy Squirrel books.½