- Picture Books
- Ages 3–7
- Comedy
Cyril and Pat
Part of the Emily Gravett universeOpen the collection
A funny rhyming friendship story about a lonely squirrel and his unusual new friend. Great for read-aloud comedy, urban wildlife, difference, prejudice and children learning that friendship does not always look how others expect.
- Best for3–7
- FormatPicture
- Length32 pp
- Read aloud~6 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Rhyming
- Conversational
- Comedic
Tone
- Funny
- Warm
- Silly
- Heartwarming
- Gentle
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Cyril is the only squirrel in the park and he is lonely. Then he meets Pat, who seems like the perfect friend: playful, loyal and always ready for fun. The only complication is that Pat is not a squirrel at all, but a rat. Other animals are quick to judge, warning Cyril that rats are bad news, but Cyril has to decide whether to trust what others say or what he knows about his friend. Emily Gravett tells the story in energetic rhyme, with expressive city-park illustrations and plenty of visual comedy. It is accessible for younger children, but the emotional idea is strong: friendship can cross social boundaries, and labels can make us miss what is good in someone. This is one of Gravett's warmest, most read-aloud-friendly books.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- Best fit · 3–7
- Read aloud · 3–8
- Independent · 5–8
Prose load
Light
Visual support
Very high
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Excellent
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Bedtime
- Reading together
- Gift-buying
- Reluctant readers
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
5 / 5 · Bedtime-friendly
Sensitive-child
5 / 5 · Good fit
Graphic intensity
1 / 5 · None
Best for
- Unlikely friendship
- Rhyming read aloud
- Urban animals
- Difference
- Funny friendship
Avoid if
- Dislikes rats
- Wants high adventure
- Prefers non rhyming books
Particularly good for children who are…
- Making friends
- Reluctant reader
- Being bullied
- Low self esteem
In the classroom
How it works in school.
A funny, rhyming read-aloud about an unlikely squirrel-and-rat friendship — great for joining in and talking about looking past appearances.
A book children love that happens to support school — never a stand-in for the texts a class is taught with. Reviewed for the classroom · June 2026.
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
The specific delight is the friend-who's-actually-a-rat — Cyril making his first proper friend in Pat, everyone in the park warning him that rats are bad news, Cyril deciding to trust what he knows over what he's told. Friendship across difference, in tight rhyme.
- Friendship and belonging
- Animal companions
- Making a difference
Why parents love it
The Gravett that's quietly sharp on prejudice — a squirrel and a rat as best friends, the other park animals' snobbery treated as the actual problem. Funny in rhyme, never preachy. Useful for any conversation about labels, judgement and what trust looks like.
- Shared humour
- Conversation starter
- Bedtime appropriate
- Beautiful illustrations
About the author & illustrator
Emily Gravett.
If you liked this
Three ways out of this book.
If you liked this, try…
Lateral matches. Same shelf, different texture.
Come into this from…
Easier or preparing reads — perfect lead-ins.
Where to go next…
Escalation reads — a step up in scale, silliness, or stakes.
Where you’ll find it
On these reading lists.
Buy or borrow
Pick up a copy.
- Bookshop.org ↗
- Waterstones ↗
- Amazon UK ↗
- Hive ↗
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