SuitabookThe unbeatable Squirrel Girl
Ryan North
- Reading
- Try a short shared opening, then pause to discuss how Doreen, Nancy and Tippy-Toe contribute differently. Revisit the ending together, since the consequences of their plan are not clear beforehand.
- Themes
- Empathy and cooperation: Doreen works with Tippy-Toe and Nancy, who is described as a regular human without powers, while the hero is characterised through wit and empathy. The setup makes cooperation and non-powered contribution important, but it does not show whether the story consistently praises, questions or complicates these qualities.
- Power and responsibility: Doreen’s squirrel powers and her allies are placed between Earth and destruction, with the group considering help and trying to avert doom. The premise invites attention to how power is used during a crisis, but it does not establish whether the book endorses a particular model of heroism or responsibility.
- History and change: Doreen is hurled back to the 1960s and erased from history, creating a problem involving identity and the possibility of changing events. The premise supports discussion about belonging and the effects of altering the past, without establishing a definite message about history or change.
- Worth knowing
- Before reading, decide whether the child would enjoy superhero peril and time-disruption ideas. A shared reading conversation may help if threats to Earth or being erased from history feel intense.