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Old Cricket
From the creators of Sailor Moo comes a second critter comedy about a cricket with a creak in his knee, a crick in his neck, and a crack in his back. Full color.
32 pages, Library Binding
First published January 1, 2003
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44 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
October 28, 2008
Old Cricket wakes up feeling crotchety. He doesn't even want to get out of bed, but his wife says she needs him to fix the hole in their roof. Old Cricket definitely doesn't want to do that, so he pretends to be sick and therefore unable to work on the roof.
His wife packs him off to the doctor with a crumb of biscuit tied up in a bundle, in case he wants something to eat as he walks. On the way, Old Cricket meets a katydid who wants help picking berries, and then some ants who want help gathering corn. Lazy Old Cricket puts them off by claiming to have even more ailments, and hobbles off, burdened with the other insects' gifts of a berry and a kernel of corn.
Of course, he has no intention of going to see the doctor. Instead he settles down for a nap under a pine tree. But -- surprise -- he's given a rude awakening by Old Crow, who's looking for lunch and thinks Old Cricket looks tasty.
Old Cricket succeeds in escaping from Old Crow by running as fast as he can -- and by tossing Crow the bits of food he's carrying. But Old Cricket does get his comeuppance. As he runs away from the crow, he develops all of the ailments he lied about having, and he has to visit the doctor anyway. The doctor fixes him up, and then he has no choice but to go home and work on the roof.
This fable-like story is told in folksy, occasionally repetitive language that will engage kids and have them chiming in with the repeated parts. The illustrations are detailed, vivid, and full of personality.
My two-and-a-half-year-old daughter happened upon this book in our local library and fixated on it because she loves bugs. Once we took it home and read it, we were hooked! So much so, that I'm going to get us our own copy.
His wife packs him off to the doctor with a crumb of biscuit tied up in a bundle, in case he wants something to eat as he walks. On the way, Old Cricket meets a katydid who wants help picking berries, and then some ants who want help gathering corn. Lazy Old Cricket puts them off by claiming to have even more ailments, and hobbles off, burdened with the other insects' gifts of a berry and a kernel of corn.
Of course, he has no intention of going to see the doctor. Instead he settles down for a nap under a pine tree. But -- surprise -- he's given a rude awakening by Old Crow, who's looking for lunch and thinks Old Cricket looks tasty.
Old Cricket succeeds in escaping from Old Crow by running as fast as he can -- and by tossing Crow the bits of food he's carrying. But Old Cricket does get his comeuppance. As he runs away from the crow, he develops all of the ailments he lied about having, and he has to visit the doctor anyway. The doctor fixes him up, and then he has no choice but to go home and work on the roof.
This fable-like story is told in folksy, occasionally repetitive language that will engage kids and have them chiming in with the repeated parts. The illustrations are detailed, vivid, and full of personality.
My two-and-a-half-year-old daughter happened upon this book in our local library and fixated on it because she loves bugs. Once we took it home and read it, we were hooked! So much so, that I'm going to get us our own copy.
July 17, 2014
This is an entertaining story about an old cricket who is trying to get out of doing some work at home. The narrative is repetitive and filled with onomatopoeia; it's really fun to read aloud.
The illustrations are marvelous, with wonderful details on the various critters that make them look incredibly realistic and anthropomorphic at the same time. Overall, it's an engaging story that will likely appeal to children of all ages. We really enjoyed reading it together.
When I posted my review here on Goodreads, I discovered that this author/illustrator team also created the book Sailor Moo: Cow at Sea (Golden Kite Honors, so we'll have to check that one out from our local library, too!
The illustrations are marvelous, with wonderful details on the various critters that make them look incredibly realistic and anthropomorphic at the same time. Overall, it's an engaging story that will likely appeal to children of all ages. We really enjoyed reading it together.
When I posted my review here on Goodreads, I discovered that this author/illustrator team also created the book Sailor Moo: Cow at Sea (Golden Kite Honors, so we'll have to check that one out from our local library, too!
November 30, 2012
A great combination of lilting text and over-sized, active, skillful acrylic illustrations. Wheeler's lyrical storytelling expertly includes alliterative language, well-placed asides, deft dialog, and laugh out loud repetition. In this humorous retake of Aesop's famous fable, "The Ant and the Grasshopper," Wheeler and illustrator Ponder Goembel combine their first-rate artistry into a cleverly presented, enthralling read-aloud, engaging young listeners into participation as they inhale this outstanding contribution to original storytelling in memorable picture book format.
January 10, 2018
Old Cricket doesn't want to do any work so he fibs to his wife that he can't fix their roof because he has pain. He sets out and develops new aches and pains with each bug he meets. Then he meets Old Crow and doesn't want to be his lunch. As he runs to escape, he develops the aches and pains he lied about earlier.
Turns out it would have been easier to just fix the roof.
Turns out it would have been easier to just fix the roof.
March 8, 2018
Fun story about responsibilities.
October 1, 2020
If only he would have done what was asked of him in the first place...
October 1, 2009
Genre: Fiction, Picture book,
Audience:
Topic: grasshopper, danger, injuries/illness
Theme: avoiding work, karma, intelligence, pretending
Use: Read Aloud, Independent reading
Reading Level: Late transitional
Illustrations: The illustrations are very colorful. They are highly supportive of the text.
Literary Elements: Repetition; onomatopoeia
Thoughts:
Old Cricket is the story of a cricket who wakes up one day to a project by his wife. To avoid the project, he claims to have an injury and goes to the doctor. Along the way, he encounters other creatures and creates a new injury with each discussion. Then, he meets crow who wants to eat him. Old Cricket then gets each of his imaginary complaints in reality as he tries to flee from Crow. At the end of the story, Old Cricket gets cured by the doctor and returns home to do the project.
Old Cricket would be an excellent book for a late, transitional reader. The illustrations are highly supportive of the text and the words are primarily black words located on white backgrounds. The vocabulary words are not that difficult. There is a lot of text on each page which may make it more difficult for some students.
Audience:
Topic: grasshopper, danger, injuries/illness
Theme: avoiding work, karma, intelligence, pretending
Use: Read Aloud, Independent reading
Reading Level: Late transitional
Illustrations: The illustrations are very colorful. They are highly supportive of the text.
Literary Elements: Repetition; onomatopoeia
Thoughts:
Old Cricket is the story of a cricket who wakes up one day to a project by his wife. To avoid the project, he claims to have an injury and goes to the doctor. Along the way, he encounters other creatures and creates a new injury with each discussion. Then, he meets crow who wants to eat him. Old Cricket then gets each of his imaginary complaints in reality as he tries to flee from Crow. At the end of the story, Old Cricket gets cured by the doctor and returns home to do the project.
Old Cricket would be an excellent book for a late, transitional reader. The illustrations are highly supportive of the text and the words are primarily black words located on white backgrounds. The vocabulary words are not that difficult. There is a lot of text on each page which may make it more difficult for some students.
October 2, 2015
A great book to read with a child to work on discovering similarities within the pages! This Old Cricket wakes up cranky and as the story progresses, he is asked to help other people in his community, for example, the Grasshopper. Every time someone asks for assistance, he replies by saying he is sorry but has a creak in his neck or a crake in his nee, and so on it continues. The story touches on the themes of avoiding work, intelligence, and pretending. The old Cricket fakes his soreness and then, in terms, takes from all the people who need help. The story unfolds with a karma lesson with the notion that what you say as a lie can then become actually true. The genre would be 4-8 traditional literature due to the animals taking and them possessing the ability to do human like things. I rated this book 5 stars because the fourth grader I read it with loved it and found the "creak-creak-creak" sounds throughout fun to say out loud. The predicting element was a great way to check for understanding and it helped keep the book interesting on what will the cricket say next. I feel the age specifically targeted would be a child that is an emerging 4th grader reading proficiency due to the large pictures but harder word choices.
June 5, 2013
Primary. Traditional Literature. When Old Cricket awakes feeling cranky and crotchety he is in no mood to help his wife with fixing the roof. Old Cricket comes up with a plan to get out of doing any work. Old Cricket pretends to have a crick in his neck and a creek in his knee so his wife packs him a lunch and sends him off to the doctor. But Cricket isn't really going to the doctor. He's going off to enjoy himself for the day. But along the way, he keeps meeting friends who also need help. So not only is Cricket pretending to have a crick in his neck and a creek in his knee, but he has to come up with all sorts of new aches and pains to get out of helping them too! Just when Cricket is hobbling along hoping to be relaxing any minute, another obstacle comes in his way, and this time he can't pretend to be sick to avoid it either. How will he ever escape this one and get to have his nice relaxing day?
December 10, 2014
What am I missing here?! I have read several 5 star reviews and I still don't get what they are raving about. The pictures are dull and boring and the story is slow, long and boring... Is it about laziness, is it about getting old, is it about being a dumb bug? I don't get it! What are we suppose to learn here???
The creak-creak-creak, and the crick-crick-crick and the hic-hic-hic are great onomatopoeia but beyond that...I see little merit to this book (and our library has two copies) It was recommended by my co-worker but...I just don't get what all the excitement is about!
The creak-creak-creak, and the crick-crick-crick and the hic-hic-hic are great onomatopoeia but beyond that...I see little merit to this book (and our library has two copies) It was recommended by my co-worker but...I just don't get what all the excitement is about!
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September 15, 2016This book is great for all ages in elementary school. The storyline of the book is great and shows kids that when you trick others, you make more work for yourself. J also loved this one because he followed the plot line and was able to see exactly what the "Old Cricket" was doing to his friends.
March 9, 2008
The old cricket fakes ailments to get out of doing work. Cute!
April 30, 2008
Good pictures and cute story line
August 31, 2008
Fun and bright illustrations with a moral at the end. The kids really enjoyed it.
We'll read it again.
We'll read it again.
January 31, 2009
This book helped give insight on:Helpfulness, Behavior, Ponder, ill last but not least crickets and crows
April 22, 2009
Clever story of cricket making excuses to get out of work. Repetition of phrases and sounds. Detailed illustrations - cricket is even smiling!
June 12, 2010
Dealing with responsibility instead of trying to escape it. Realizing there are consequences for behaviors.
December 15, 2010
The old cricket tries to get out of work but ends up getting hurt running away from a crow! It teaches him to be honest and responsible.
October 9, 2013
Crotchety, cranky, cantankerous old cricket complains and complains of his made up pains until they become quite real.
Beware of what you say....
Beware of what you say....
July 26, 2016
What a fun book! I read this one to my students every year.
October 7, 2016
Smart Missus!
July 29, 2012
38 months - the repetition is a bit tiresome but the illustrations are nice as well as the moral.
July 11, 2013
Good story with beautiful acrylic paintings.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews