I want them to question what’s in the book because there is a lot of irony and exaggeration. The more that you know about something you fear, the less you fear it. MW: The most important thing that I would want kids to learn is that knowledge is power. PC: What lessons can kids learn from the Scaredy Squirrel books? That was the starting point and it developed into something more about our society of fear and what we see around us. I thought it would be fun to talk about the topic of facing your fears. Not just my parents, but aunts and uncles who would warn me about everything, even riding a bike. MW: I grew up with a very cautious family. PC: What inspired you to create the Scaredy Squirrel book series? I didn’t focus on that for long because I realized that I wanted to focus on something more artistic and get back to the roots of what interested me when I was a kid. I actually went into business administration. MW: As I became older, I didn’t aim to become an author or an illustrator. PC: Why did you become a children’s book author?

But, as I got older, I tried to make my own versions of these stories and draw my own pictures. One of my favourite things was to have my parents read me a story and have that family time. Mélanie Watt: As a child, I was a visual kid so I was really interested in picture books. ParentsCanada: As a child, how did you get interested in reading? Mélanie speaks to ParentsCanada about the lessons kids can learn from her books and how she became a children’s book author and illustrator. Since its creation in 2004, the foundation has donated $13 million and one million books to schools in need.

Recently, Mélanie partnered with the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation, a program that contributes to needy school libraries in Canada. She created her first book 12 years ago, while she was still a design student, and since then, she has written and drawn over 16 children’s books, including the Scaredy Squirrel series. Award-winning author and illustrator Mélanie Watt believes books can empower kids.

Mélanie watt books