Lesson from a Children's Book

Yesterday I ran across a book at the library that caught my eye and I just HAD to read--Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt. Here's the description from Amazon:
 "Scaredy Squirrel never leaves his nut tree. It's way too dangerous out there. He could encounter tarantulas, green Martians or killer bees. But in his tree, every day is the same and if danger comes along, he's well-prepared. Scaredy Squirrel's emergency kit includes antibacterial soap, Band-Aids and a parachute. Day after day he watches and waits, and waits and watches, until one day ... his worst nightmare comes true! Scaredy suddenly finds himself out of his tree, where germs, poison ivy and sharks lurk. But as Scaredy Squirrel leaps into the unknown, he discovers something really uplifting ..."

And the review from Booklist:
"In a tongue-in-cheek tale that may help to prod anxious readers out of their hidebound routines, a squirrel discovers the pleasures of leaping into the unknown. As the world's a scary place, what with the killer bees, green Martians, tarantulas, germs, and sharks that might be lurking about, Scaredy Squirrel keeps to his tree, and to a precise, minute-by-minute daily schedule--until a supposed "killer bee" actually wanders by, causing Squirrel to dislodge his suitcase-size emergency kit. A wild lunge to rescue it turns into a long glide (portrayed in a gatefold), as Squirrel discovers to his astonishment that he is a flying squirrel. Eventually, Squirrel returns in triumph to his tree and from then on adds a daily glide to his accustomed rounds."

It was a cute little book, geared toward the 4 & up crowd, and I just LOVED it. I kept thinking about how much I am like Scaredy Squirrel--comfortable in my safe, little "tree" but when something unexpected, and even "dangerous," happened, I was able to find out something amazing about myself I hadn't known before.

I'm thinking this book has to become part of my personal library.