Children love making animal sounds—and in I Am a Squeak, they become squeaky animals! As daylight fades, readers follow some squeaky creatures through their habitats. A red squirrel races home at the end of the day. A dolphin leaps through sunset waves. A mouse nibbles on an evening snack. At dusk, a bat wakes up and prepares to fly and a bunny searches for a cozy bed, while a sleepy fawn settles into the grass. With face-painted children, real animal sounds, and clues hidden in both words and illustrations, readers are invited to guess each animal before the page-turn reveal.
Praise for I Am a Squeak
“A cute animal guessing game conveyed through simple text and bright photos. Each page features a close-up stock photo of a youngster with an expertly painted face and maybe an appropriate accessory or two (bunny ears, antlers). The accompanying text is in sans serif type, with clear but riddling language, arranged in lines with lots of white space. The titular line is included on each spread: “I am a squeak. / Cleek-cleek! / Up from the sea. / Sunset splashes— / spin and leap!” Turn the page for a vivid color photo of the animal hinted at by the preceding clues (in this case, a dolphin; other creatures include a squirrel, a mouse, and a bat); fat squiggly type identifies the animal. The final photo shows a child asleep, wearing an animal-themed eye mask and clutching a dress-wearing teddy. The book closes with “Facepainting Tips” and an explanation of what the various “squeaks” communicate (play, news, contentment), along with an invitation to make some squeaks of the listener’s own. The final stand-alone photo shows a laughing child with elaborate bat eye-designs. The subjects are mostly but not exclusively pale. The thrill will last for a read or two, with the listener or beginning reader using deduction to arrive at a winning guess. Fun for a few rounds of perceptive deduction, wordless expression, and masked pretending.” (Informational picture book. 3-6) — Kirkus Reviews
