Earl the Squirrel

Earl is a squirrel,
a red one at that.

His coat is all shiny,
his nose, cute and flat.

A charming little fellow
you’d mistake for a cat

(whatever you do
don’t tell him I said that).

Follow the bluebells
and you might find him sat

by the door of his treehouse
on his green mossy mat.

- Cat Heffernan

About Earl the Squirrel

I was out walking my dog, Jessica Robin, one day in the bluebell woods close to our home.

I had wandered beyond the fairy trail and was just crossing the stream when Jess suddenly darted through the bluebells and wild garlic, leaping forward and planting her two paws on the trunk of a tree so she was almost standing upright.

I called and called her back, but she wouldn’t budge — her eyes were locked on something above her.

When I reached her and looked up, I saw him too: the cutest little red squirrel, eyes full of mischief. He watched us for a moment before turning and scampering higher into the branches, then springing onto another tree like a tiny acrobat before disappearing from sight.

On the way home, I decided to name him Earl — and I couldn’t stop imagining all the fun he must have living in those magical woods.

I wrote this poem to share the moment with my children, Brendan and Noah, and to introduce them to this funny little character I met.

And Earl has stayed with me. I’ve even penned my first picture book manuscript all about him and his adventures — one I hope to share with you in the not‑too‑distant future.