Cyril and Pat

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. [em](May) [/em]