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The Squeaky Door
THE SQUEAKY DOOR
It's time for bed! Granny tucks Little Boy in tight. She kisses him good night. She turns out the light. And he's not scared! No, not him! But when Granny shuts that door... SQUEEEEAK!
How can a granny keep that spooky, squeaky door from scaring her little boy awake at night?
Acclaimed storyteller Margaret Read MacDonald spins a humorous bedtime story, perfect for reading aloud, with comical illustrations by Mary Newell DePalma.
It's time for bed! Granny tucks Little Boy in tight. She kisses him good night. She turns out the light. And he's not scared! No, not him! But when Granny shuts that door... SQUEEEEAK!
How can a granny keep that spooky, squeaky door from scaring her little boy awake at night?
Acclaimed storyteller Margaret Read MacDonald spins a humorous bedtime story, perfect for reading aloud, with comical illustrations by Mary Newell DePalma.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published January 3, 2006
5 people are currently reading
292 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Read MacDonald
92 books78 followersFollow
Biography
Dr. Margaret Read MacDonald travels the world telling stories....always on the lookout for more great folktales to share. She shapes these found stories into tellable tales which anyone can share with ease. Filling her folktale collections with these delightful tales, she creates perfect read alouds for you and your family. MRM wants everyone to experience the joy of a beautifully told tale. She hopes you will read them a few times...then put down the book...put down the electronic device...and just TELL the story to your children!
Some of her favorite folktales she expands into picture books...hopefully with delightfully readable language while will roll right out of your mouth. Share them with your children and then....act the tales out! Revisit the tales by TELLING them! At bedtime. While on the road. Fill your pockets with great stories to share wherever you go.
Joining her Folklore Ph.D. with her 30 plus years as a children's librarian, Margaret brings folktales to life in playful, lilting language which should delight both reader and listener.
See her performance schedule at: www.margaretreadmaconald.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
September 6, 2011
Oh, I was laughing so hard already when the first animal, the cat, was introduced, partly because of the pictures of the cat. Very funny! This is an amusing story (based on a Puerto Rican folk song and also previously told by a New Zealand storyteller, and there is also a Chilean version of this tale) about a boy who is scared by a squeaky door, so his grandmother goes to greater & greater lengths to ease his fear. (The author’s note at the end invites the reader to include any animals they wish but I loved the ones used in this version.)
I can understand why there are so many retellings of this story because it is so charming, hilarious at times.
The illustrations are just wonderful. As I said, I laughed out loud at the cat, and my amusement just intensified as the story went on. It’s sweet, funny, and it’s great for kids who may be scared to go to bed, who may be scared of the dark or sounds in the night, etc.
The illustrations are fabulous! I love the pajama clad animals and all the good night kisses.
Completely charming!!! This makes for a terrific bedtime story, a perfect story for kids who like animals and is wonderful for kids who like silly stories.
I loved it! I guess i was in just the right mood to read this book.
Great for reading aloud!
I can understand why there are so many retellings of this story because it is so charming, hilarious at times.
The illustrations are just wonderful. As I said, I laughed out loud at the cat, and my amusement just intensified as the story went on. It’s sweet, funny, and it’s great for kids who may be scared to go to bed, who may be scared of the dark or sounds in the night, etc.
The illustrations are fabulous! I love the pajama clad animals and all the good night kisses.
Completely charming!!! This makes for a terrific bedtime story, a perfect story for kids who like animals and is wonderful for kids who like silly stories.
I loved it! I guess i was in just the right mood to read this book.
Great for reading aloud!
September 7, 2011
This is the story of a little boy who has trouble sleeping at Grandma's because the squeaky bedroom door is scary, so she brings him various animals (from a cat to a horse!) to sleep in bed with him and keep him from being afraid. Though, it doesn't quite go the way she planned...
I can see where it would probably be very cute and fun in the right circumstances (maybe a kid nervous about staying over at grandma's or another sleepover) though I must say I found it a tad tedious with all the repetition (it's a cumulative tale). But, I may have appreciated it more as a child; I know it was fun to "read along" and know what was coming next ;-) And, of course, it was so silly and absurd (in a fun way) with all the animals coming into the bed. Though, why did the narrator have to say "Yuck!" when grandma kissed the pig? I hate it when pigs get a bad rap; I think they are adorable and so intelligent! :-)
I did appreciate that this is very much a "storytelling" story; the author learned it from a storyteller in New Zealand and there are many other version of this story from around the world. I can see where this could be told just as a story without pictures though I thought the pictures were quite cute and funny.
I can see where it would probably be very cute and fun in the right circumstances (maybe a kid nervous about staying over at grandma's or another sleepover) though I must say I found it a tad tedious with all the repetition (it's a cumulative tale). But, I may have appreciated it more as a child; I know it was fun to "read along" and know what was coming next ;-) And, of course, it was so silly and absurd (in a fun way) with all the animals coming into the bed. Though, why did the narrator have to say "Yuck!" when grandma kissed the pig? I hate it when pigs get a bad rap; I think they are adorable and so intelligent! :-)
I did appreciate that this is very much a "storytelling" story; the author learned it from a storyteller in New Zealand and there are many other version of this story from around the world. I can see where this could be told just as a story without pictures though I thought the pictures were quite cute and funny.
October 1, 2011
This is one of the few times I have actually read a Puerto Rican folktale since I usually read many Mexican folktales. “The Squeaky Door” is a Puerto Rican folktale retold by Margaret Read MacDonald, popular author for retelling various folktales and illustrated by Mary Newell DePalma. In this tale, a young boy tries to go to sleep, but the squeaky door keeps him up all night! “The Squeaky Door” is a truly hilarious and brilliant folktale that every child should definitely read!
I just absolutely adored this book! Margaret Read MacDonald has done an excellent job at writing this story. This story was absolutely hilarious as the little boy keeps telling his grandmother that he is not afraid to be alone on the big bed, but he gets scared every time the door squeaks when his grandmother closes the door. I also loved the way that Margaret Read MacDonald used repetitive verses like:
“So Grandma Tip…toed…out.
She turned…off…the light…Click,
She closed…the…door…SQUEAK!”
Since these verses made the book even more creative to read through and more fun to enjoy and I also loved the way that Margaret Read MacDonald makes the story entertaining by bringing in an animal that the boy could sleep with and the story becomes more outrageous when a pig and a horse is brought in to sleep with the boy! Mary Newell DePalma’s illustrations are extremely hilarious and colorful as the boy always has wide eyes that pop open whenever he gets scared and I also loved the illustrations of all the animals sleeping in the bed with the boy as it looks extremely hilarious.
Overall, “The Squeaky Door” is definitely a book that I would recommend to any fan of Puerto Rican folktales and who love a good bedtime story! I would recommend this book to children ages three and up since there is nothing inappropriate in this book and it is simple for young children to read through.
I just absolutely adored this book! Margaret Read MacDonald has done an excellent job at writing this story. This story was absolutely hilarious as the little boy keeps telling his grandmother that he is not afraid to be alone on the big bed, but he gets scared every time the door squeaks when his grandmother closes the door. I also loved the way that Margaret Read MacDonald used repetitive verses like:
“So Grandma Tip…toed…out.
She turned…off…the light…Click,
She closed…the…door…SQUEAK!”
Since these verses made the book even more creative to read through and more fun to enjoy and I also loved the way that Margaret Read MacDonald makes the story entertaining by bringing in an animal that the boy could sleep with and the story becomes more outrageous when a pig and a horse is brought in to sleep with the boy! Mary Newell DePalma’s illustrations are extremely hilarious and colorful as the boy always has wide eyes that pop open whenever he gets scared and I also loved the illustrations of all the animals sleeping in the bed with the boy as it looks extremely hilarious.
Overall, “The Squeaky Door” is definitely a book that I would recommend to any fan of Puerto Rican folktales and who love a good bedtime story! I would recommend this book to children ages three and up since there is nothing inappropriate in this book and it is simple for young children to read through.
December 16, 2019
Based on a Puerto Rican folk-song called La Cama - retold in story format in Pura Belpré's
The Tiger and the Rabbit and Other Tales
, where it is known simply as The Bed, as well as in Barbara Baumgartner's
Crocodile! Crocodile!: Stories Told Around the World
, where it is called The Squeaky Old Bed - this story of a grandmother, her visiting grandson, and the great lengths to which she will go, to ensure that he is not afraid at bedtime, is an engaging and humorous cumulative tale that young readers - particularly those who are afraid of the dark - will appreciate. As each new animal is prepared for bed by Grandma, and then tucked in with her frightened boy, the fun grows, until finally a breaking point is reached... Luckily, Grandma knows just what to do to resolve the situation!
Having read both the Belpré and Baumgartner books, I was quite excited to find a third retelling of this tale, although I agree with the reviewer who mentioned that it has no real cultural details that identify it as Puerto Rican (probably not surprising, given that Macdonald heard it from a New Zealand storyteller). An enjoyable bedtime tale, one that will appeal to listeners who have been frightened by nighttime noises themselves, The Squeaky Door also boasts humorous illustrations by Mary Newell Depalma that accentuate the humor and sense of fun. Recommended to anyone looking for humorous bedtime tales with a cumulative structure, particularly if their intended audience has a few nighttime fears. Those interested in following up on the folkloric background to this title are recommended to pick up Pura Belpré's excellent collection of Puerto Rican tales, mentioned above.
Having read both the Belpré and Baumgartner books, I was quite excited to find a third retelling of this tale, although I agree with the reviewer who mentioned that it has no real cultural details that identify it as Puerto Rican (probably not surprising, given that Macdonald heard it from a New Zealand storyteller). An enjoyable bedtime tale, one that will appeal to listeners who have been frightened by nighttime noises themselves, The Squeaky Door also boasts humorous illustrations by Mary Newell Depalma that accentuate the humor and sense of fun. Recommended to anyone looking for humorous bedtime tales with a cumulative structure, particularly if their intended audience has a few nighttime fears. Those interested in following up on the folkloric background to this title are recommended to pick up Pura Belpré's excellent collection of Puerto Rican tales, mentioned above.
October 6, 2014
This one is based off of the Puerto Rican folk song, "La Cama." It's a building story, as in the boy is alone in the bed and gets scared, so grandma puts the cat in bed with him, then the dog, then the pig etc...
I can't believe I didn't do a review of this book after my preschool storytime a few weeks ago. In a group where the kids sometimes get a little bored and lose interest, I really was worried about doing this book. The illustrations aren't the most exciting but I really love the rhythm and repetition of the words. When practicing, I started doing different hand motions for she "tip...toed...out" and "turned off...the...light" and "closed the door" and by the third time around, I had ten 3-5-year-olds doing the motions with me and smiling the whole time. It was truly awesome.
This one doesn't neccessarily look like the most exciting thing when you're reading it silently, but if you're doing a read aloud, it's a classic. Margaret Read MacDonald is just awesome. If I could give this one ten stars, I absolutely would.
I can't believe I didn't do a review of this book after my preschool storytime a few weeks ago. In a group where the kids sometimes get a little bored and lose interest, I really was worried about doing this book. The illustrations aren't the most exciting but I really love the rhythm and repetition of the words. When practicing, I started doing different hand motions for she "tip...toed...out" and "turned off...the...light" and "closed the door" and by the third time around, I had ten 3-5-year-olds doing the motions with me and smiling the whole time. It was truly awesome.
This one doesn't neccessarily look like the most exciting thing when you're reading it silently, but if you're doing a read aloud, it's a classic. Margaret Read MacDonald is just awesome. If I could give this one ten stars, I absolutely would.
September 14, 2011
This is a humorous retelling of an old Puerto Rican folktale. The animal noises and onomatopoeia, along with the varying speaking tones and dramatic pauses make this book fun to read aloud. It got a bit too repetitive for me, but not for our girls. After just a couple of iterations, our girls were saying the repeating narrative for me and we all enjoyed yelling, "SQUEEEEAK!" The illustrations are very expressive and we loved the animals in pajamas and eye shades, all tucked in to bed. We enjoyed reading this story together.
This book was featured as one of the selections for the September 2011 Grandparents-themed reads for the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads. I'm glad that it was selected, as I'm not sure if we would have discovered it otherwise.
This book was featured as one of the selections for the September 2011 Grandparents-themed reads for the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads. I'm glad that it was selected, as I'm not sure if we would have discovered it otherwise.
September 17, 2011
A cute and sweet story about a squeaky door that makes a grandchild scared when he visits his grandparents' home. Grandma's efforts to comfort the boy are no good, but she keeps trying with hilarious results.
I liked this light-hearted story about a situation that we all can relate to: trying to help a young child fall asleep in an unfamiliar (or at least, non-routine) place. The illustrations added to the humor and were the perfect complement to the story.
I like that the author gave credit where it was due, and used the words "retold by" on the cover of the book. I don't always see this, even when a well-known story is being told. This tale has been around at least for decades, and in different versions around the world, as the author points out in her end note.
I liked this light-hearted story about a situation that we all can relate to: trying to help a young child fall asleep in an unfamiliar (or at least, non-routine) place. The illustrations added to the humor and were the perfect complement to the story.
I like that the author gave credit where it was due, and used the words "retold by" on the cover of the book. I don't always see this, even when a well-known story is being told. This tale has been around at least for decades, and in different versions around the world, as the author points out in her end note.
September 13, 2011
The Squeaky Door by Margaret Read MacDonald, illustrated by Mary Newell DePalma recreates an old folktale into a cumulative tale appropriate for bedtime or as a storytime read-aloud.
His Grandma tucks Little Boy into bed, but when she closes the very loud squeaky, scary door, he cries out. Grandma tries a series of crazy attempts to keep Little Boy from being afraid to go to sleep in the bed. When bringing in a cat doesn't work, she adds a dog, then a pig, then a horse - with unfortunate results. Some bed repair and lots of oil finally fix the problem.
The repetitive text and lots of noises to repeat should encourage audience participation when used as a read-aloud. The text features a variety of different sized fonts to tell this tale. An Author's Note at the back of the book lists the Puerto Rican folksong that is the basis of the tale as well crediting a New Zealand storyteller, and a short story story version, plus referencing one of several other versions.
DePalma's colorful, detailed illustrations add to the text. Not mentioned are funny details such as the cat's sleeping mask, the dog's sleeping cap, the pig's bath and pajama's, and the horse's pajama's which all add to the outrageous attempts to comfort Little Boy.
I see this as a good storytime read-aloud, as well as successful one on one book for sharing. The idea of bringing many animals into the house reminds me of Too Much Noise by Ann McGovern.
This could be used to emphasize sequencing and repetition in stories.
For ages 3 to 7, read-aloud, folktales, animals, bedtime, fear, grandmothers, and fans of Margaret Read MacDonald and Mary Newell DePalma.
His Grandma tucks Little Boy into bed, but when she closes the very loud squeaky, scary door, he cries out. Grandma tries a series of crazy attempts to keep Little Boy from being afraid to go to sleep in the bed. When bringing in a cat doesn't work, she adds a dog, then a pig, then a horse - with unfortunate results. Some bed repair and lots of oil finally fix the problem.
The repetitive text and lots of noises to repeat should encourage audience participation when used as a read-aloud. The text features a variety of different sized fonts to tell this tale. An Author's Note at the back of the book lists the Puerto Rican folksong that is the basis of the tale as well crediting a New Zealand storyteller, and a short story story version, plus referencing one of several other versions.
DePalma's colorful, detailed illustrations add to the text. Not mentioned are funny details such as the cat's sleeping mask, the dog's sleeping cap, the pig's bath and pajama's, and the horse's pajama's which all add to the outrageous attempts to comfort Little Boy.
I see this as a good storytime read-aloud, as well as successful one on one book for sharing. The idea of bringing many animals into the house reminds me of Too Much Noise by Ann McGovern.
This could be used to emphasize sequencing and repetition in stories.
For ages 3 to 7, read-aloud, folktales, animals, bedtime, fear, grandmothers, and fans of Margaret Read MacDonald and Mary Newell DePalma.
August 28, 2011
Grandma is worried that Little Boy will be afraid to sleep in the great big bed all alone, so she tucks him in, gives him a kiss, tip toes out of the room, and very slowly closes the squeaky door. Each time the door closes, the boy screams and Grandma tucks an animal into the bed so the Little Boy isn't alone. Is Little Boy really afraid to be alone or could be something else?
This story was inspired by a Puerto Rican folktale. Margaret Read MacDonald did an excellent job of transforming it into a fun bedtime story. The repetition and onomatopoeia usage makes the story more appealing and engaging for young readers.
This story was inspired by a Puerto Rican folktale. Margaret Read MacDonald did an excellent job of transforming it into a fun bedtime story. The repetition and onomatopoeia usage makes the story more appealing and engaging for young readers.
May 13, 2010
What to do...what to do? When a squeeaakky door keeps the little boy up at night, Grandma tries to think of all the ways to help him sleep. Should he sleep with the cat, the dog, the pig, or the horse? But when the bed breaks from all that extra weight, Grandma knows just what to do...must do something about The Squeaky Door.
November 2, 2016
Clever silly fun. But not much more, unless you're into cumulative & repetitive stories, or, of course, into stories that are fun to adapt and tell, instead of simply read. Author's note references Puerto Rican folk song "La Cama."
May 7, 2012
From an author and professional storyteller that I've arranged to come to our school later in the week. She is supposed to be an amazing!
October 19, 2014
We had fun with this one.
December 9, 2016
Strong grandmother.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2024
Lots of repetition and general silly reaction to being scared of the dark make this a good, gently scary storytime book for October. A boy isn't scared of a squeaky door in the light, but is freaked out in the dark. Will the addition of various animals in the bed help? No! The bed breaks, the boy spends the night in the grandparents' bed, and in the morning, grandma fixes the bed and oils the squeaky door until it doesn't squeak any more.
October 13, 2020
A young child is staying the night with his grandmother. Every time she closes the door after saying good night, the squeak of the door hinge scares the child back awake. The grandmother attempts to reassure the child by letting more and more animals spend the night in bed...but the real solution is fixing the squeaky door.
January 9, 2022
This story is about a boy who is scared at night by the noises made by his door and his bed. Grandma tries multiple comforting strategies to get him to calm down, including cuddling with the cat and the dog, but finds that the sound of squeaking is still scary. How will they help him to be able to sleep?
December 29, 2021
This was an unexpected win. I didn’t think that I would care for it as the illustrations look dated. However, this is really funny. It’s posed as a spooky story but there’s a completely rational explanation for the scariness which the reader gets discover before the characters. Fantastic!
March 8, 2019
We read this book at Pajama Storytime and it was a hit! Everyone had so much fun with all the animal noises and repetition. I especially like the Can Do Grandma!
April 25, 2019
Fun story of a bedtime routine that doesn't quite work out very well.
January 8, 2020
Delightful cumulative tale perfect for reading aloud. Full of animal friends cat, dog, pig, horse, etc.
Themes: Pajamas, Bedtime, Overcoming Fear, Grandparents, Animals
Themes: Pajamas, Bedtime, Overcoming Fear, Grandparents, Animals
July 29, 2020
Wonderful story for reading aloud.
November 17, 2020
This is a great good night story. I love that it is based on a Puerto Rican song.
June 23, 2021
A light-hearted and fun book about how creepy noises in the night can be. And we loved the fact that the cat sleeps with an eye mask on.
November 15, 2021
A cute book. Has lots of repetition.
May 12, 2022
Adorable and funny folktale with repeated language - perfect for teaching little ones to become storytellers. Recommended for prek-2
January 5, 2025
A fun book to read with loads of onomatopoeias!
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June 10, 2025This was cute, 3 and a half stars. I am interested in reading some of the other variations of this story.
October 28, 2025
This was not my favorite book i’ve ever read to my class but it was okay.
June 20, 2017
Based on a Puerto Rican folk song: La Cama
Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews