NO! Said Custard the Squirrel

by Sergio Ruzzier

Overview

From award-winning creator Sergio Ruzzier, an oddball “squirrel” forges his own path in this comical tale about being yourself

Custard the Squirrel, aren’t you a duck?
Will you please quack?
Will you do anything you don’t want to do?
“NO!” said Custard the Squirrel.

From the brilliant mind of author-illustrator Sergio Ruzzier comes this delightfully wacky story about rejecting others' expectations of who you should be and being unapologetically, authentically you. Simple, universal, and hilarious, this rollicking read-aloud is an ode to free spirits everywhere.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419755248
Publisher:	ABRAMS
Publication date:	09/06/2022
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	8.00(w) x 9.50(h) x 0.35(d)
Age Range:	3 - 6 Years

About the Author

Sergio Ruzzier is a Sendak Fellow who has written and illustrated many critically acclaimed children's books. Born in Milan, Italy, he now divides his time between Brooklyn and the Apennine Mountains in Italy.

Editorial Reviews

★ 07/25/2022

Peevishly pointing to a ducklike image in a book, a gray rodent-type animal in high-waisted pants confronts the eponymous protagonist. “Custard the Squirrel, aren’t you a duck?” “No,” replies Custard, a yellow figure with an orange bill and feet, who sports a green top and matching cap. As the questioning interlocutor insists on conventional duck behavior (“Custard the Squirrel, will you please quack?”), Custard scans as upbeat but firm, seeing no need to assuage, conform, or explain, and answering each question with a simple “No.” In gentle-hued ink and watercolor art by Ruzzier (Fish and Sun), Custard pilots a jaunty sailboat instead of taking a swim, and gags at drooping weeds before tucking in to a tableful of elaborate desserts. But even Custard has limits, in a late spread repeatedly proclaiming “No!” while turning flip after flip. And that gives rise to one more question—one that reads as earnest and searching: “Custard the Squirrel, do you only answer ‘No’?” The query elicits a gladly resounding affirmation of self that leads to big grins on both sides in this cleverly rendered, accessibly philosophical take on confronting bias, labels, and assumptions. Ages 3–6. Agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

"The characteristically unexpected details and color choices featured in Ruzzier’s watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations pair perfectly with this story of individualism."

The Horn Book Magazine

★ 2022-06-22
Ruzzier’s trademark artistic style accompanies this tale of defending who you are.

A diapered rodent is remarkably perturbed by Custard the Squirrel. Right off the bat, the rodent asks if Custard is, in fact, a duck. Custard may initially look like a duck to readers, but the refrain—“ ‘No,’ said Custard the Squirrel”—leaves little room for doubt. Still, the rodent just won’t let it go. From numerous angles, the rodent attempts to get Custard to give in and act like a duck. “Won’t you go swim in the lake?” asks the rodent. “Will you please quack?” Custard tirelessly responds in the negative. It is with great grace that Custard remains unflappable in the face of the rodent’s insistence. Finally, by the story’s end, Custard erupts into a chorus of no's as joyous as they are adamant. With its steady repetition, this is practically a how-to manual on patiently combating relentless ignorance. Yet it is as much about believing someone when they tell you who they are as it is a guide for dealing with the rodents of the real world. Soft artwork rendered in pen and ink and watercolor deftly highlight the features and body language of both of the main characters. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A gently told primer on accepting people for who they are. (Picture book. 3-5)

Kirkus Reviews