August 1, 2018
This simple early reader explores all the things Squeak likes in his house, the kitchen of a (mostly) unsuspecting human family.Schories' visual humor makes this slight story of just 18 words into a satisfying and complete adventure. New readers will gain confidence as Squeak navigates his house and words are repeated using the same sentence pattern introduced in the title. The only change is in the article-adjective-noun phrases that provide details of how the mouse uses familiar objects--toys, shoes, the dog's water bowl, and snacks--provided by the unsuspecting humans who share his house. Bibliophiles will especially appreciate that "Squeak the Mouse likes the good books at his house." The proximity of the mouse to two young children and a dog, all oblivious to the mouse's activities, lends an air of daring and suspense to the mouse's explorations of their shared home. Interjection of the mouse's "Squeak" as he scurries about the kitchen and the chaos produced when one of the children (both present white) trips and spills her snack of nuts and raisins add both humor and excitement. Picture-book readers will delight in finding the mouse on each spread. Schories' gentle humor and quick, clever mouse reminiscent of Arnold Lobel's classic Mouse Tales (1972) should prove equally enduring and effective as both story and reading lesson. Here's hoping this is not Squeak's only adventure. (Early reader/picture book. 3-8)
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January 1, 2019
Squeak the mouse enjoys his simple yet wonderful life inside a family's house. While the children do homework and play in the kitchen, Squeak explores their toys (and spilled food!). The text, effectively, relies heavily on repetition; many pages contain only the word squeak. The detailed illustrations depict the interior of a comfortable-looking home, supporting early readers through visual humor and textual cues.
(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)