(3) K-3 Our beleaguered protagonist--a rat--bemoans its species’ fate compared to, say, squirrels. Observing: “squirrels and rats aren’t so different,” the rat tries to make itself more “squirrel-ish” by first paperclipping down its ears (“Nope”) and then filling out its tail. What happens as a result gives the creature some perspective and appreciation for rat-kind, plus even a bit of sympathy for squirrels. The clean-lined cartoon illustrations give this unlikely protagonist plenty of personality.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz