Today I’m participating in Perfect Picture Book Friday on Susanna Leonard Hill’s blog. Be sure to check out it out here.

Title: Cyril and Pat

Author: Emily Gravett

Illustrator: Emily Gravett

Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 2019

Fiction, Ages 4-8

Themes: friendship; diversity

Opening Lines: Lake Park only had one squirrel, all alone and sad (poor Cyril). Until the morning he met Pat, his new best friend, a big gray…

Synopsis: Cyril is the only squirrel in Lake Park until he finds Pat. Although Pat is a rat, Cyril thinks Pat is another squirrel. They become friends and have lots of fun together. When Cyril learns of Pat’s true identity, the other animals tell him he can’t be friends with a rat. But Cyril and Pat soon learn that some things are more important than being the same or listening to what others have to say.

Why I Like This Book: This book is a fun read aloud. The rhyming couplets invite reader participation to help Cyril discover Pat’s true identity. The illustrations complement the text well and bring the story to life. Don’t miss the hard cover and the end pages for more hints at what happens. This book imparts a wonderful message of inclusion and diversity in a way that will relate to children.

For Susanna’s complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.