Squeak Chatter Bark: An Eco-Mystery

by Ali Fitzgerald

Hazel and her parents live an idyllic life in a treehouse in the PAW (Perfect Animal Worlds) Biosphere among a series of ecologically controlled environments populated by genetically created and enhanced animals and flora. As scientists working for PAW, together with founder Dr. Henry Nimick, the McCrimlisk’s mission is to create a world that will usher in an era of “good evolution”, populated with animals and plants that can transform pollution and other environmental hazards to make the region clean and habitable. But one foggy night, Hazel’s parents are suddenly kidnapped. With the help of her animal friends Chimi (a multilingual toucan), Nina (a pet-sized elephant who exhibits super-strength), and her human friend (comics lover and mythology expert) Alex, Hazel tracks clues throughout the various biodomes and climates uncovering what happened to her parents and leading her to... a monster?!?

Genres: Graphic Novels, Mystery, Middle Grade, Graphic Novels Comics, Animals, Nature

248 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2025

Reviews

[Lauren]

May have been more enjoyable if I were younger, but doesn't appeal to myself as an adult like the wide audience some youth targeted comics are able to pull.

[Cheryl Murray]

A charming, imaginative story for all ages! Beautifully illustrated by the author herself, the reader finds him or herself transported to a magical world of talking animals (in their own languages, that is). Eleven year old Hazel encounters one adventure after another in her quest to solve the mystery of her missing parents. This book is very heart-warming and wholesome- the perfect read for family discussion and appropriate to read to younger children.

[J MaK]

(3.2) I’ll start by saying this was highly imaginative—almost too ridiculous, even for its target audience. It has a Nancy Drew meets Harriet the Spy feel, though the plot meanders and the animal translations seem designed more for humor than depth. Overall, it’s a fun mystery, but the loose ends could have been resolved much earlier. The artwork is distinctive and abstract, though it wasn’t really to my taste.

[Aimee]

I really loved the storyline to this. The imagination in this story is out of this world. It’s so fun. The made up animals, the animals created certain ways, I think this is a really cute story and has an excellent meaning to it all.

[John]

Fun, and kinda dark.

[Larakaa]

mesmerising

[Steph]

this fun lil MG graphic novel "eco mystery" is an animal adventure!

we follow hazel, a preteen hiding out in the wilds of the biosphere she used to occupy with her parents (until they mysteriously disappeared). hazel is learning to speak every animal language, and her animal interactions are oh so charming. i love a good talking animal story, but even better when the animals speak their own languages and are understood.

hazel is searching for the truth about her parents, and her journey takes her to some sinister places. i really like the way this book toes the line between serious and whimsical. there's humor and absurd hijinks, and the array of animal pals is adorable, but there are also dark themes of capitalism, corruption, and breached autonomy.