Overview
Squeak (253pg) is a junior fiction novel following 10-year-old Celeste Asher as she overcomes the struggles of starting a new school. New schools are tough, but when you add in a group of mean girls and a trio of beastly boys, it only gets tougher. But everything changes when she saves a mouse on the playground and makes an unexpected friend.
Rating and Review
I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars.
3 stars, but it’s a high 3.
The first book in The Asher Chronicles series is a wholesome story showing us that friendship can come in many sizes and forms.
I think a large part of why I struggled with this book is that there isn’t a distinct plot. There’s a lot happening, but very little of it is connected or meaningful. Then, suddenly, in the final quarter, we’re met with a rush of action.
Despite the lack of plot, this book holds up quite well. It loosely covers a few important (serious) subjects, done in a way that works for the intended age group. We also get to see the characters in a range of contexts, including a pretty fun chapter for all those D&D fans.
Squeak was definitely a fun read with lots of laughs (and a few tears in necessary moments).
I do want to note that Celeste has an issue where she can’t do a lot of things due to vertigo, and this comes up quite a few times throughout the book, but there is one moment where it doesn’t come up despite the activity she’s engaged in. At any other time in the book, this would have been an issue, but at this particular point, it isn’t. It comes across as something done for convenience because her disorder would’ve caused problems in this moment, and while it’s not a huge thing, it’s a sudden inconsistency that didn’t quite make sense.
Content warnings
- internalised ableism & ableist language
- bullying
- animal abuse
- mentions of racism/racist comments
- swearing (one instance) & implied swearing (multiple instances)
Who I’d recommend this to
If you’re an animal lover with a little bit of a nerdy side, this book is a good one to check out.