Lynn: It’s fall so squash is a common topic! But this time I don’t mean the vegetable – I mean the cat! Sasha Meyer’s new and very funny picture book, Squash, the Cat (Random Studio, 2023) introduces a cat named Squash and his best friend Maggie. Squash is the perfect name for this orange and definitely squash-shaped cat.
Squash is “an early breakfast followed by a mid-morning nap kind of cat.” Maggie, however is a later riser but a “wild playdate” kind of girl. But Maggie and Squash are perfect for each other just the same. Together they take on all challenges and always have each other’s back. Until, that is, Squash, thinking he is saving Maggie, makes a BIG mistake!
This sweet and appealing story shows what happens when a best friend makes another sad. Small children will understand both Squash and Maggie’s feelings and cheer when Maggie decides that even if best friends forever aren’t perfect, that is OK. Meyer’s large bright illustrations wonderfully convey both friend’s experiences and gently underscore the idea that friends forgive each other. This is a wonderful book to use to start discussions about friends and what happens when someone makes a mistake.
I adored the illustration in this tale! Just looking at Squash makes me laugh. But I may have a slight bias here 
since I share a house with a remarkably similar and squash-shaped cat.
bookendsblog.net 