Squirrel on Stage written by Vivian Vande Velde, illustrated by Steve Björkman; Holiday House, 2022.

Get ready for hijinks in the latest adventure of Twitch the Squirrel in which this popular rascal makes his stage debut. Humorous confusion and a bit of upstaging make for a thoroughly entertaining chapter book when Twitch, along with his friend Sweetie the Library Rat, joins the school production of Cinderella.       

Why this Book? Why will it matter to kids?

In second and third grade, independent readers advance to chapter books with heft. As they build their skills, they are encouraged by action-packed stories that keep them turning the pages and laughing along the way. Twitch the Squirrel, known from the previous three books in this series as a rapscallion with a penchant for misadventure, takes to the stage in this latest installment that’s sure to become a classroom and library favorite.

Levels and Layers of Learning

Grade level: 2-4

Social-Emotional Learning Themes

Acceptance, compassion, concern, connection, creativity, dedication, diligence, effort, empathy, encouragement, empowerment, friendship, generosity of spirit, gratitude, helpfulness, hope,  inspiration, kindness, loyalty, perseverance, persistence, perspective, resilience, resourcefulness, respect, responsible decision-making, relationship building , self-assurance, self-awareness, self-management, self-reliance, social awareness, tenacity, understanding

Content Area Connections: Art, ELA, Community

Using This Book in the Classroom

Hit the Ground Running Ready Resources for Educators, Homeschoolers, and Parents

Discussion Guide for the first Twitch the Squirrel story, 8 Class Pets + 1 Squirrel ÷ 1 Dog = Chaos.

Discussion Questions for Squirrel in the House

Write Away! Ideas to prompt writing

Find Vivian’s Author Craft Tips to Improve Writing with advice based on her Twitch books.

Find general writing advice from Vivian.

Describe one scene in the book that made you giggle or laugh out loud. Explain why.

Twitch and Sweetie are good friends. Give examples of how they demonstrate their friendship toward one another.

The author uses action words to describe Twitch and Sweetie. For example, Twitch will “dash” and “bounce.” Sweetie will “peek” and “wait.” Make a list of words that describe Twitch’s actions in one column and words that describe Sweetie’s action in another column. Use the words to write a poem in two voices that describes the adventures of these two unlikely friends. For examples of poems in two voices, consider these books:  Boom! Bellow! Bleat! Animal Poems for Two or More Voices by Georgia Heard, illustrated by Aaron DeWitt; Seeds, Bees, Butterflies, and More! Poems for Two Voices by Carole Gerber, illustrated by Eugene Yelchin; and Joyful Noise: Poems in Two Voices by Paul Fleischman, illustrated by Eric Beddows (Newbery Medal).

In the story, Sweetie says that one of the things she admires about Twitch is “his fearlessness, the way he will throw himself into anything.” Then she says, “I admire that, but I don’t want to be like that.” Describe a characteristic one of your friends has that you admire even though you don’t want to be like that.

 Illustration © Steve Björkman

Poetry Break Related poetry to recite before or following the reading of this book

Poetry breaks fit perfectly into brief moments in the school day—from opening or closing exercises to lining up for lunch; from zipping up backpacks and jackets to transitioning from one subject to the next. Reading a poem typically takes less than a minute; yet, it can introduce or reinforce a concept, provide clarity, celebrate language, exemplify rhythm, enhance vocabulary, expand understanding of a concept, increase attention span, initiate reflection, spark imagination, or simply summon a giggle. And, poetry soothes and strengthens the spirit. 

The following poetry books pair well with Squirrel on Stage:

•  follow follow: A Book of Reverso Poems by Marilyn Singer, illustrated by Josée Masse (companion to the following book)
• mirror mirror by Marilyn Singer, illustrated by Josée Masse

And Then There’s This…
Enrichment activities, related books, online resources, craft projects, and ideas for further study

There are four books in the Twitch the Squirrel series. Enjoy them all!

Related Books of Interest:

Books about theater and plays, princesses, fairy tales, and fractured fairy tales:

•  The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
• The Fairy-Tale Handbook: An Interactive Adventure Through the Magical World of Fairy Tales illustrated by Tomislav Tomić
• Frogged  by Vivian Vande Velde
• If You Were a Princess: True Stories of Brave Leaders from Around the World by Hillary Homzie, illustrated by Udayana Lugo
• Newfangled Fairy Tales: Classic Stories with a Funny Twist edited by Bruce Lansky
• The Prince Problem by Vivian Vande Velde
• The Princess Imposter by Vivian Vande Velde
• Princess Tales Around the World: Once Upon A Time in Rhyme with Seek-and-Find Pictures adapted by Grace Maccarone, illustrated by Gail DeMarcken
• Pushing Up the Sky: Seven Native American Plays for Children by Joseph Bruchac, illustrated by Teresa Flavin
• Stagestruck by Tomie dePaola
• The Really Rotten Princess and the Wonderful, Wicked Class Play; Ready-to-Read Level Two by Lady Cecily Snodgrass, illustrated by Mike Lester
• The Swish of the Curtain by Pamela Brown
• Theater Shoes by Noel Streatfeild
• Three Good Deeds by Vivian Vande Velde 

Meet the Author

Vivian Vande Velde

Vivian Vande Velde is the author of 40 books for children and teens that range from silly to scary, with talking animals, magic gone awry, virtual reality gone VERY awry, mysteries, ghosts (friendly or not), princes and princesses (who do not always behave as you might expect), and retold fairy tales. Although Vivian claims she does not do sequels, Squirrel on Stage is the fourth book featuring Twitch the schoolyard squirrel, who always means well, but frequently causes chaos—even in books without “chaos” in the title.

Backstory: Q & A with Vivian Vande Velde

Vivian Vande Velde is one of my favorite children’s authors for her creativity, her wit, and her range in storytelling. She is also a terrific person, known for her generosity and spirit. She has visited Children’s Book Corner in the past, along with Twitch the Squirrel, who was the center of the conversation—just as he likes it. I’m delighted to welcome Vivian—and Twitch—back to share insights into the fourth book in this side-splitting chapter book series that has won wide acclaim and accolades among teachers, librarians, parents, and, of course, kids.

Judy Bradbury: Squirrel on Stage is the fourth chapter book about Twitch the Squirrel and his uproarious shenanigans. How did you come to the idea of placing Twitch in the midst of a school play? What seeded the creation of Squirrel on Stage?

Vivian Vande Velde: I always liked dressing-up, pretending to be someone else—preferably someone self-assured and brave who knew what to say in any situation.

This led to my becoming involved in school plays. I don’t have any school play pictures, but here I am 40 years ago in a church production. I have NO memory of what was going on in this scene. But I do remember from my stage experiences that the things that we anticipated could go wrong never actually happened. The things that went wrong were always TOTALLY unexpected.

JB: The point of view shifts from chapter to chapter: Twitch the Squirrel and Sweetie the Library Rat take turns narrating the tale. How did you decide on this format for the book?

VVV: The first book in the series, 8 Class Pets + 1 Squirrel ÷ 1 Dog = Chaos, started the multiple viewpoint format. With Squirrel on Stage it was essential to alternate viewpoint between Twitch and someone who actually knew what was going on. Twitch has a very squirrel-centric point of view and it would have been hard for readers to understand what was happening if we depended solely on his… let’s say: slightly unreliable narration. (For example, he never quite gets that the ball Cinderella wants to attend has nothing to do with the balls he has seen children playing with on the playground.)

JB: Tell about one hurdle you experienced in the creation of Squirrel on Stage or provide a memorable (or humorous!) anecdote related to the writing of the book.

VVV: The hurdle was quarantining for the pandemic. I had started the story, and then Covid hit. It wasn’t that I NEEDED to get out of the house for research purposes, but we couldn’t see our daughter in person or any of our friends. (Thank goodness for Zoom!) All the oomph and ambition went out of me and I didn’t write anything for months. I did a lot of reading, putting together jigsaw puzzles, and crocheting blankets to donate to various organizations. (I would drive up, pop the trunk, and people would unpack the boxes, with a wave and a mask-muffled “Thank you!”) I attended a lot of Zoom conferences and listened to authors speak, which was interesting, but it took quite a few of them to goad me into resuming my writing

JB: What would surprise readers to learn about you or about the writing of Squirrel on Stage?

VVV: I probably never would have written Squirrel on Stage (or Squirrel in the House or Squirrel in the Museum) if it hadn’t been for the kindness of illustrator Steve Björkman. Although I didn’t know him, I found his address and wrote to thank him for the wonderful job he’d done with 8 Class Pets. He wrote back a very sweet letter—he even made me a note card with an original drawing—saying he’d love to do another book about Twitch. With that encouragement, I got started on more adventures for this irrepressible squirrel.

Note card © Steve Björkman

JB: What do you hope young independent readers will take away from Squirrel on Stage?

VVV: I hope readers have a good time with this story, and that they might consider what it means to be a friend. Also that they might think that—with or without a squirrel and a rat—being in a play sounds like something they might want to try.

JB: In the Afterword, readers are reacquainted in a clever way to the memorable, entertaining characters introduced in the first book in the series, 8 Class Pets + 1 Squirrel ÷1 Dog = Chaos. The ensemble of class pets discusses plays, explaining their features, important components, and stage vocabulary. How did you land on the focus of the Afterword?

VVV: I wanted the Afterword to be educational (Ooo! That word!) and give readers information about stages and putting on plays, but I wanted something more entertaining than a simple glossary. The school pets are so much fun to write; since each has a different personality and outlook, calling on them for their insights was a natural.

JB: How do you see Squirrel on Stage connecting to curriculum or being used in schools?

VVV: Hmmm… You’re better with curriculum connections than I am. And I know that teachers are hard-pressed to fit everything they need in a school year. But when young people are involved with a play, they gain self-confidence, they come up with creative solutions, they learn to think quickly, and they bond with one another. I have been fortunate enough to have a few of my short stories made into plays and I even had a bit role in one of them. It was amazing to see how much those young actors grew in six weeks of rehearsals. (I wish I could show a picture of them in action, but—without permission—can’t show faces.)

Illustration © Steve Björkman

JB: What is one question you wish I had asked, and what is your answer?

VVV: Q: Do you plan on writing any more books featuring Twitch?

A: If I can come up with an idea that would involve Twitch with one of the other pets, I will give it a try!

JB: What project are you currently working on?

VVV: I am taking the 12 x 12 Picture Book Challenge, which sets out the goal of drafting a picture book a month for a year. This is a program that has message boards where beginning picture book writers can connect with authors who have more experience in that field (writing a picture book is very different from writing a chapter book!), including getting a piece of writing critiqued for those who choose. We get monthly virtual interviews with industry professionals—authors, illustrators, editors, and agents. As with any kind of writing, I am more pleased with some of my results than others, and I hope to soon submit the strongest ones. So far, I am on track, having written something each month since January. But I don’t have anything for October yet—so good-bye!

Illustration © Steve Björkman

About the Illustrator

Learn more about Steve Björkman. Connect with him on Instagram and on Twitter.  

Sidebar Spotlight New releases of note

Each month I receive several boxes of books to review from various publishers. As I read and peruse the books, I place them in two piles: those that I will consider featuring on the blog, and those that don’t fit the mission or theme of Children’s Book Corner blog for whatever reason. I highlight some of the books in the “possible” pile on Mondays (most weeks) on Instagram. Ultimately, I choose the one new release I will feature on my monthly blog post. Yet there are many terrific books I wish I could give a shout-out to, even if I can’t write an entire post about each one. So, Sidebar Spotlight is a means of giving a nod to new releases that, in my opinion, are noteworthy. I’ve linked each title to Bookshop so you can learn more. Happy reading, friends! And feel free to comment below.

• Ballet Kids by Holly Sterling; an inclusive, celebratory story centered on a love of ballet, the fear and joy of performing, and the wisdom of a supportive instructor
• Drawing Outdoors by Jairo Buitrago, illustrated by Rafael Yockteng, translated by Elisa Amado; a school in a remote area makes good use of the school yard environment for art and imagination at the hands of a gifted teacher.
• Counting in Dog Years and Other Sassy Math Poems by Betsy Franco, illustrated by Priscilla Tey
•  One Thursday Afternoon by Barbara DiLorenzo; a compelling and heartfelt story centering on the effects of experiencing and processing a school lockdown. Impeccably written and beautifully illustrated. Activities and an educator guide available on publisher’s website.
• The Really Rotten Princess and the Wonderful, Wicked Class Play; Ready-to-Read Level Two by Lady Cecily Snodgrass, illustrated by Mike Lester; totally hilarious early reader in which a really rotten princess is cast against type when she is chosen to play Glinda the Good in The Wizard of Oz.

News & Updates

I am elated whenever I receive a kind and generous review of one of my books. Here’s one that posted recently on GoodReads about The Mystery of the Barking Branches and the Sunken Ship:

I bought two sets of the Cayuga Island Kids Series for my six grandchildren. I just finished reading the first book in the series, The Mystery of the Barking Branches and the Sunken Ship. This book held my interest throughout and I know that my grandchildren will enjoy reading it as well.
In addition to being full of childhood adventure and mystery, there are abundant opportunities for children to learn throughout this book including rhyming skills, math skills, and history facts. There are also opportunities for children to expand their vocabulary and to learn research methods. I highly recommend these well written and enjoyable books for children.~Lcarlins

If you read and like a book, consider posting a review on GoodReads or on Amazon (if you bought it there). Authors and illustrators appreciate the shout-out. It increases visibility of their books. Also consider asking your local library to purchase a copy!

It’s School Visit season, and I have been enjoying spending time with children who are curious about my characters and excited about reading and writing. What fun it is to return to the classroom and meet up with kids! Contact me for school visit information.

Read-aloud of a portion of the Cayuga Island Kids Book 2

Readers Theater of an excerpt of Cayuga Island Kids, complete with props! 

Find information on where I’ll be this month and throughout the fall on my Events page.

I’m especially looking forward to participating in the Rochester Children’s Book Festival taking place in person at RIT on November 5. I’ll be signing books all day and presenting “Be A Fact Detective!”at 10:45 am. 

The Children’s Book Corner post on Red, White, and Whole has been updated to include the recently released Educator Guide.

Educators: The fall Children’s Book Week celebration takes place November 7-13. Sign up to participate and receive five free copies of Raúl the Third’s poster. You will also have the chance to promote events and have access to their new educator kit. Read more about plans and email cbc[dot]info[at]cbcbooks[dot]org with questions.

Final Thought