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Pip & Squeak

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Pip & Squeak are going to a party.

Far from home, Squeak sees that Pip has left their gift behind. Oh, no! Squeak is mad. Pip is in a pickle. They are late already, and deep snow is everywhere! How will Pip and Squeak ever find the perfect present for their friend Gus?

32 pages, Hardcover

First published December 26, 2006

106 people want to read

About the author

Ian Schoenherr

33 books29 followers

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5 stars
75 (20%)
4 stars
138 (37%)
3 stars
117 (31%)
2 stars
34 (9%)
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5 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
Profile Image for Melki.
7,285 reviews2,610 followers
January 15, 2019
Cute story about two mice on their way through the drifting snow, headed to a friend's birthday party. But . . . oh, no! They forgot his present! What can they find that will make the perfect gift?

The author's paintings are a delight, and should really enchant the younger set.

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Profile Image for Heidi-Marie.
3,855 reviews88 followers
March 13, 2008
Oh how cute is this one! I loved the illustrations. That's what most of the book is. Few words which are fairly simple and good for beginning readers as well as reading to young audiences. Seeing typical human objects in a different way would also keep their attention. And how can you not like two cute little mice with cute names like Pip and Squeak? Plus, their emotions and reactions--portrayed quite well in the pictures--are very human-like and most ages can relate to them and understand them.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
4,938 reviews60 followers
May 22, 2023
Two mice friends are late when they set out to attend a friend's birthday party. When they realize they've forgotten present, Squeak is frustrated with Pip, who was supposed to bring it. There is not enough time to go back home and get it, can they find something else to give their friend in time?

A simple story with wonderful illustrations, this is a solid addition to group story time.
1,253 reviews8 followers
January 13, 2018
Two mice run to a party through the snow. They forget to bring a present and take the carrot noise off a snow man. They think Gus won't like it because it's not cheese but Gus (since he's a rabbit) really likes his present.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Karen.
188 reviews22 followers
February 10, 2020
Cute story to show that not everyone likes the same things.
Profile Image for Zazie.
793 reviews
May 9, 2021
An okay story. Nothing special.
1,917 reviews22 followers
January 9, 2024
Pip & Squeak leave their gift at home when they head to a friend's birthday party. What will they find to give him? Cute illustrations take the two mice around their yard to find another gift.
60 reviews
September 27, 2024
A wonderful book for a wintry story time, big pictures perfect for sharing. Especially nice as it is a winter book without a holiday theme (although, spoiler, a birthday at the end).
Profile Image for Mary.
109 reviews1 follower
April 10, 2008
The illustrations in this picture book are vibrant, featuring bright primary colors and large, realistic characterizations. But the story itself is slow and young children may become bored by it and the antics of Pip and Squeak, mice who are on the hunt for a gift for the unseen(until the end) Gus. This book sits on the memorable animal shelf but, sadly, it may be all too soon forgotten.

CIP Summary
"Two Mice rush through the snow to get to their friend's birthday party, only to realize that they forgot to bring the present."

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 1—Squeak reminds her friend Pip not to forget Gus's birthday present as the two mice rush to his party. But there's freshly fallen snow and an exciting ride on an envelope-turned-sled, and the cheese is forgotten. With no time to turn back, Pip tries to find a substitute, each of which is rejected by his companion. Then he spots something big and orange on the face of a snowman. Surely it must be cheese? At this point, children will be shouting out that it's a carrot, not cheese, and will share in Squeak's concern when Pip falls into the snow. The mouse lands safely, and the two proceed to the festivities with the new gift. The party scene, with charming details of acorn-top cups and bottle-cap hats, delivers the surprise that the birthday boy is a rabbit, making a carrot the perfect present after all. The spare, uncluttered images will make easy viewing for storytimes, although the intended humor of the large gnome, flamingo, and other lawn statuary that populate the snowy pages may be lost on young children. An appealing if not essential pick.—Susan Moorhead, New Rochelle Public Library, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Pip and Squeak, two mice, have been invited to a birthday party for their friend Gus, and their gift, a lump of cheese, is wrapped with a bow. But a huge snow has fallen, and getting to the party isn't easy: sliding on a letter, walking the tightrope of a clothesline. It's only later that Squeak notices that Pip has forgotten the cheese. Now what? There are a few items that seem like possible gifts. Would Gus like the plastic pink flamingo buried in the snow? Finally, the mice spot a carrot functioning as a snowman's nose; at least they can carry it. Pip thinks Gus won't like it, but in a surprise ending, Gus (a bunny), likes it very much. This simple yet clever story gets literal breadth by its spacious design. Several of the spreads are taken up by snowy landscapes. Some feature close-ups from unexpected angles, and everything is designed to show things from a mouse's perspective. Schoenherr's draftsmanship is quite fine; Pip and Squeak look like real mice, albeit adventurous ones. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Profile Image for Vivian.
2,397 reviews
February 27, 2014
How does this book fit into a story time on the theme of flamingos?

As I held the book up for the forty children attending library story time I said, "I spy with my little eye something that's white and round and cold".

"A snowman!!!" the children cried. So we all stood up and acted out the little song "Once there was a snowman, snowman, snowman; Once there was a snowman tall, t a l l, TALL! In the sun he melted, melted melted; In the sun he melted small, small, small." (sorry, I could not find a youtube clip that does this the way we do).

Refocus attention to the bookjacket ... "What else do I see? Is there something that squeaks?"

"A mouse!!!" the children say. "Two mice!"
"This mouse is Pip," I say, "and this mouse is Squeak."

(This is DIALOGIC READING, or inviting the children to observe the illustrations, listen to the story, and respond to questions. For more information go here: http://www.readingrockets.org/article... ).

There were two performers for our story time. They traded off reading pages. On one page the mice scamper over some plastic lawn flamingos half buried in the snow. (On another page they scamper past a plastic yard gnome half buried in snow--which would have been nice to have known when we did our Gnome-tastic Story time last summer!)
36 reviews
Read
November 10, 2016
Reading Level: 1.8
Lexile: 300
Fountas & Pinnell: J

Pip & Squeak are two mice going to a birthday party for their friend. Pip is in trouble early in the book because he forgot to bring the gift of cheese for the birthday boy. He tries to find a good substitute while Squeak is less that encouraging with Pip's choices. Just before they get to the party Pip finds another option that turns out to be better than the original gift.

Classroom Use:
Collaboration: Squeak starts out being rather mean with his words to Pip. When Pip falls, Squeak changes his tone and encourages Pip who by this time is doubting his choice.
Effort: Pip does not give up trying to find the perfect gift for Gus.

Mentor Writing Traits:
Word Choice: Squeak has many comments about the inferior quality of the substitute gifts that Pip finds. Different words are used each time to show Squeak's disapproval.
Presentation: The illustrations are big on the pages to keep the perspective of the mice being small animals.
Profile Image for Camille.
518 reviews1 follower
November 21, 2012
I read this book a few months back and didn't like it, but just re-read it to write this review, and its a whole different book from what I remember! Wow.

Anyway, Pip and Squeak are off to their friend Gus' birthday party, but they forgot the present. So along they way come across different possible presents. They find one and its awesome.

I'm trying to think of how to describe Schoenherr's style. Sparse? His text and his characters say what they have to say in as little words as possible. But that leaves room for some good dialogic reading with a child or audience. I also like his illustrations, which are detailed but big and clearly defined.

You could use this book with a winter theme, birthday theme or mouse theme. I'd like to use it for winter and pair it with What the Little Fir Tree Wore to the Christmas Party (Ichikawa).
Profile Image for Ariel Cummins.
819 reviews18 followers
March 17, 2013
Pip and Squeak are in such a hurry to get to their friend Gus's birthday party that they forget his gift! They rush through the winter landscape, and end up finding just the right present.

The acrylic and ink illustrations are nice, but nothing incredibly special. Some of the perspectives used are interesting, but occasionally to the point of being difficult to understand.

Nothing wrong with this book, but nothing too outstanding either. Short text might make this a candidate for read-aloud to younger kids, although the dialog is a little confusing at times.
Profile Image for jacky.
3,496 reviews93 followers
January 28, 2011
This was read at story time today at the library. I particularly liked the way that our librarian read this book. The author wrote the text relying on the illustrations to fill in some of the story. Our librarian always paused to point out these things, especially at the end pointing out that Gus is not a mouse. Overall, a cute story with a little winter adventure. It is also a fun look at perspective - a mouse point of view of the world.
Profile Image for Scott Roark.
101 reviews
November 10, 2011
Use this book for a lesson that shows that each of us is an individual and that we may not like all the same things. Can also be shown as selfish, because the mice wanted to bring a rabbit cheese (what they like). They forget the cheese at home and eventually find a carrot, which he obviuosly loves.
Self to text? Have students write about a gift they received that they didn't love. Did they ever change their mind and started to like/use it? What would they rather have had?
Profile Image for Tabatha.
37 reviews9 followers
June 16, 2012
I loved this book. Pip and Squeak are sooo cute and really enjoyed the story. I found that the kids were more interactive when I asked them what kind of things mice like to eat and pointed out what the big thing in the distance was...asking if it really was cheese or something else. Also, at the end asking what kind of food rabbits like to eat. With that conversation, there was a good response. I would use this again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Bmack.
481 reviews5 followers
December 8, 2014
This book is large with colorful illustrations so it would be great for a storytime. There is also a simple story of two mice who are taking a gift to rabbit but forget it at home. The story is their adventure on the way to the party and how they come across another gift for rabbit. There is a party at the end but it doesn't look like Christmas so it could be used as a general holiday book or just one with a winter theme.
Profile Image for Morgan Parabola.
48 reviews12 followers
June 6, 2015
Follow the adventures of Pip and Squeak, who are late and in need of a gift for their friend Gus.

Originally they were going to give Gus cheese, but now they're searching for something even better.

It's short, it's brief, it's well-illustrated, and above all, it's cute. Is there a point to the story of Pip and Squeak? Nope. But it's to kindle a love for reading in children and not all children's books need a moral at the end.

Perfect for a winter read!
Profile Image for Alycia Boyce.
98 reviews
December 6, 2010
Story about two mice who forget their friend's birthday present. They must find something else to get him. This is a fun book to read with children because they know things that the characters do not.
Profile Image for Bailey Jane.
152 reviews41 followers
June 14, 2016
What a sweet little book. Bought this for my 5-month old daughter yesterday and she seemed to enjoy the LARGE pictures and simple drawings. It isn't too long and it's perfect for the Christmas season. :-)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews

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