For a few days during National Library Week I had the pleasure of transforming into a squirrel. Well, not just any squirrel…I got to scurry all over town as Zoom Squirrel, one of the characters in the Unlimited Squirrels series by popular children’s author Mo Willems.
I was joined by some of the library staff on National Library Outreach Day as we journeyed to meet people, attend several storytimes, and highlight all that the Princeton Public Library has to offer. Zoom Squirrel was a big hit for people of all ages and I’m glad I had the opportunity to briefly inhabit this character. However, the process of transforming from man to man-sized squirrel was a bit daunting.
Thankfully, Zoom came with instructions – six pages of instructions, to be precise- including thirteen steps for assembling and wearing the costume. It began with attaching the impressive tail (pictured with a paperback book for scale) to the Velcro surface on the “pod.”
The soon-to-be squirrel put on the pod and then the main body of Zoom, pictured here by itself.
The feet are worn like very large slippers. With elastic and Velcro straps inside, they are surprisingly comfortable.
Now it is time to really get into character and put on the head. It can get pretty hot in there, but the costume includes a battery-powered fan at the top to provide some relief.
The wearer does not see through Zoom’s eyes. Instead, there are mesh windows in the mouth and nose. The pictured view through the nose shows how limited the view can be.
The final step is putting on the paws. These are thumbless so grasping anything became a bit of challenge. This is why it’s nice to have “handlers” to help the wearer navigate the world as Zoom.
Running around Princeton as Zoom was a lot of fun and I am glad I got to get out and spread the word (without saying a word) about our wonderful library. Please visit us soon and happy reading!
(Pictures by the author and Erica Bess)