  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 01/01/2012 PreS-K—Maintaining a can-do attitude goes far in helping one determined chick reach his goals. Peepsqueak hatches (already dressed in a bright red T-shirt with P.S. emblazoned on it) and is immediately "on the move!" The plump yellow chick has an ambition: he wants to fly… HIGH! But, possessing wings is not a guarantee of flight. The baby chicken jumps off a wall, a rock, and a windowsill, among other objects, and tries in vain to take flight. He has his detractors along the way but it takes a lot to dampen his spirits. Old Gray Goose observes his plight and offers to assist the youngster in obtaining his desire, taking him "up, up, up above the farm and the wall and the hill and the rock." Peepsqueak's former naysayers all celebrate his victory but they are dismayed again as he runs toward the pond with another goal in mind. Sweet illustrations in ink and Photoshop are clear and bright. Young children will enjoy hearing about a "never-say-never" chick and perusing the charming pictures of him and his almost-always-present mouse companion.—Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI - Copyright 2012 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Bulletin for the Center... - 02/01/2012 Peepsqueak the baby chick is “on the move,” a refrain that repeats many times as Peepsqueak pursues his dream: to fly high. He tries sailing off walls, hills, even a tower of other chicks, but he just can’t get airborne until Old Gray Goose takes him under his wing-literally-and gives Peepsqueak a ride through the sky. The determined Peepsqueak is a likable little guy, and Clark helpfully supports her very young listeners with repetition (“Peepsqueak jumped up, up, up! And then he fell down, down, down”), occasional rhyme, and a recognizable recurring motif (a farm animal tells Peepsqueak he can’t fly; he keeps trying). A sunny yellow little fellow, Peepsqueak is a bright focal point in his red T-shirt (with “P. S.” printed on it) against the digitally colored grass-green and sky-blue backgrounds. The simply drawn farm animals are dot-eyed and cuddly-looking, and children will especially enjoy searching for the small gray mouse that appears in many of the spreads. Pair this with any number of “chick” books, such as Stiegermeyer’s Cheep! Cheep! (BCCB 4/06), for a poultry-themed storytime, or have kids who are on the move themselves act out the “up, up, up” and “down, down, down” parts for a lively story session. JH - Copyright 2012 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. Booklist - 01/01/2012 Peepsqueak doesn’t just hatch slowly like the other chicks; he bursts out of his shell, dressed and ready to go in a red “P.S.” T-shirt. From the instant his feet hit the ground, he is “on the move!” and determined to fly, despite Yellow Duck's and Big Sheep’s warnings that he is too little for such an activity. He jumps—up, up, up!—off a stone wall, a round hill, and a big rock; but, alas, he falls down, down, down each time. Luckily, Old Gray Goose knows just how to solve Peepsqueak’s problems and lifts him airborne on his back—high, high, high. Debut author-illustrator Clark’s sweet cartoon illustrations bring Peepsqueak’s farm to cheerful life, and the simple words repeated throughout are perfect for the intended audience. As an added bonus, a tiny shorts-and-T-shirt-clad mouse is tucked away on most spreads, making for a fun seek-and-find game. Young children will enjoy this read-aloud and relate to the chick’s valiant attempts to prove everybody wrong. - Copyright 2012 Booklist. Loading...
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