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The Very Quiet Cricket

Author Eric Carle
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One day, a little cricket is born and meets a big cricket who chirps his welcome. But the little cricket cannot make a sound. The cricket meets many insects, but it isn't until he meets a beautiful female cricket that he can finally chirp "hello!"

Excerpt:
Hello! whispered a praying mantis,
scraping its huge front legs together.
The little cricket wanted to answer,
so he rubbed his wings together.
But nothing happened. Not a sound.
© Penguin Random House
Born in the United States, Eric Carle was taken as a six-year-old child by his parents back to their native country, Germany. Later, he studied at the Akademie der Bildenden Künste (Academy of Applied Arts) in Stuttgart, and returned to New York in his early twenties as a graphic designer and artist. His many picture books are now known and loved by children around the world.
 
In 2002, Eric and his late wife, Barbara, opened The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, in Amherst, Massachusetts, where the works of distinguished picture book artists, nationally and internationally acclaimed, are exhibited in three spacious galleries.

Eric Carle passed away in 2021, at the age of 91. View titles by Eric Carle
  • WINNER
    Children's Book Award
Praise for The Very Quiet Cricket:

"Typical of Carle's style, the language is simple, with rhythm, repetition, and alliteration to delight young listeners. Painted collage illustrations are lavish and expressive."--School Library Journal
 
"The text is skillfully shaped; the illustrations convey energy and immediacy."--Horn Book

"As usual, Carle's art is lovely and his story is simple and satisfying."--Publishers Weekly

"Carle's signature style ensures that this is a visual standout, and storywise it's appealing, too....The spare text is structured by repetitive phrasing that will lend itself to read-aloud responses."--Booklist

About

One day, a little cricket is born and meets a big cricket who chirps his welcome. But the little cricket cannot make a sound. The cricket meets many insects, but it isn't until he meets a beautiful female cricket that he can finally chirp "hello!"

Excerpt:
Hello! whispered a praying mantis,
scraping its huge front legs together.
The little cricket wanted to answer,
so he rubbed his wings together.
But nothing happened. Not a sound.

Author

© Penguin Random House
Born in the United States, Eric Carle was taken as a six-year-old child by his parents back to their native country, Germany. Later, he studied at the Akademie der Bildenden Künste (Academy of Applied Arts) in Stuttgart, and returned to New York in his early twenties as a graphic designer and artist. His many picture books are now known and loved by children around the world.
 
In 2002, Eric and his late wife, Barbara, opened The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, in Amherst, Massachusetts, where the works of distinguished picture book artists, nationally and internationally acclaimed, are exhibited in three spacious galleries.

Eric Carle passed away in 2021, at the age of 91. View titles by Eric Carle

Awards

  • WINNER
    Children's Book Award

Praise

Praise for The Very Quiet Cricket:

"Typical of Carle's style, the language is simple, with rhythm, repetition, and alliteration to delight young listeners. Painted collage illustrations are lavish and expressive."--School Library Journal
 
"The text is skillfully shaped; the illustrations convey energy and immediacy."--Horn Book

"As usual, Carle's art is lovely and his story is simple and satisfying."--Publishers Weekly

"Carle's signature style ensures that this is a visual standout, and storywise it's appealing, too....The spare text is structured by repetitive phrasing that will lend itself to read-aloud responses."--Booklist

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