According to Scaredy Squirrel, ?Christmas is indeed the most wonderful time of the year, but it is also the scariest.? Luckily, Scaredy is prepared --- and you can be, too! He's put together this ?Safety Guide for Scaredies,? full of advice for dealing with all the potential dangers, hazards and obstacles one might face during the Christmas season, complete with elaborate charts, numbered lists and the necessary diagrams. Included are step-by-step instructions for building a gingerbread house (Step 2: ?Get a building permit?), a shopping guide for tricky personality types (?mystical? and ?hairy? types included) and a variety of safety tips throughout, such as, ?When making a guest list, try to avoid inviting individuals like piranhas or double dippers.? Last but not least, at the end of the book is Scaredy's all-encompassing surefire solution: ?If all else fails ... play dead!?

Author and illustrator Mélanie Watt's endearing Scaredy Squirrel character is hugely popular with readers of all ages. Here she's laid out a picture book with separate chapters dedicated to different parts of the Christmas holidays: decorations, sweets, gifts and the like. With so much going on across each boldly colored spread, youngsters will spend loads of time poring over and laughing at all the details. Besides the fun appeal, this book would make a great introduction to a classroom discussion about how children celebrate the holidays in their own families. It also offers an opportunity for a character education lesson on courage, or a classroom conversation on feelings, particularly fear.