What do you think?
Rate this book
Squish Rabbit
Squish is just a little rabbit. But being little can lead to big problems. Sometimes Squish is hard to hear . . . or see. (Which is how he got his name.) And no one notices him. But Squish notices things- especially when someone is about to get into trouble and needs help. Here is little Squish's BIG chance.
A tale celebrating the joy of friendship from the CBCA Crichton Award shortlisted author, Katherine Battersby.
A tale celebrating the joy of friendship from the CBCA Crichton Award shortlisted author, Katherine Battersby.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published August 4, 2011
1 person is currently reading
180 people want to read
About the author
Katherine Battersby
17 books48 followersKatherine is the critically acclaimed author and illustrator of twelve children’s books, including Trouble, Perfect Pigeons and the popular Cranky Chicken series, which have been published around the world. Her books have received glowing reviews in The New York Times, starred Kirkus reviews and have been shortlisted for numerous awards. She is regularly booked to speak in schools, libraries and at festivals and she is a passionate advocate for literacy and the arts. She grew up in Australia and lives in Ottawa, Canada, with her poet, their book obsessed toddler and a wonderfully ridiculous dog.
Visit her at: www.katherinebattersby.com
Visit her at: www.katherinebattersby.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
August 19, 2011
Squish is such a little rabbit that no one seems to see him or hear him. So he made himself a stuffed rabbit friend. But that only helped his loneliness for a little bit. He tried playing with the trees, but they didn’t play fair. Finally, Squish lost his temper and threw a tantrum. He kicked an apple high into the air, and someone saw and thought it was a game. Squish saw that the squirrel was heading for a cliff chasing the apple and finally found his voice. And a new friend.
Battersby has created a picture book with an exceptional amount of appeal. Her text is simple and understated, allowing the pictures to tell the rest of the story at times. And what pictures they are! Done in mixed media collage, the illustrations are winningly simple. They have a charming ease to them, especially the depiction of Squish, done in white with free black lines. The mixed media comes in with cut paper, fabrics, and watercolors that give great texture and color.
Highly recommended, this is a superb picture book that small children will relate to and that is also beautiful and stylish. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
Battersby has created a picture book with an exceptional amount of appeal. Her text is simple and understated, allowing the pictures to tell the rest of the story at times. And what pictures they are! Done in mixed media collage, the illustrations are winningly simple. They have a charming ease to them, especially the depiction of Squish, done in white with free black lines. The mixed media comes in with cut paper, fabrics, and watercolors that give great texture and color.
Highly recommended, this is a superb picture book that small children will relate to and that is also beautiful and stylish. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
March 12, 2015
Absolutely loved it!
A cute, wonderful story about a little rabbit who is low because he's small and lonely who goes through the journey of attempting to make a pretend friend and to play with some unruly trees which do not work out but finally finds an unlikely friend in a squirrel and realizes how much having a friend can make you feel big.
A wonderful read!
Recommendation: Good to use in class visits for year 3 and 4. Preschoolers will be probably fall in love with the pictures more than the story.
A cute, wonderful story about a little rabbit who is low because he's small and lonely who goes through the journey of attempting to make a pretend friend and to play with some unruly trees which do not work out but finally finds an unlikely friend in a squirrel and realizes how much having a friend can make you feel big.
A wonderful read!
Recommendation: Good to use in class visits for year 3 and 4. Preschoolers will be probably fall in love with the pictures more than the story.
July 21, 2011
"Squish Rabbit" is a wonderful debut, with an adorable main character (the aforementioned rabbit), beautiful illustrations, and a sweet story. I can't wait to see more from this author!
--Review by Lauren
--Review by Lauren
November 9, 2011
The perfect blend of cute, sad, and realistic, this is an adorable friendship book. Squish Rabbit got his/her name because he's so little...sometimes he gets stepped on, and ignored, and poor Squish doesn't have any friends. But after trying to create a stuffed friend, play with a tree, and throwing a tantrum, Squish does meet someone who will play. The collage illustrations are so, so cute and sometimes awfully clever - check out those apples! The sometimes weird scenarios actually ring really true (like a dinosaur stepping on Squish - he IS small after all) and the perspective is perfect for making readers who might feel small not feel alone.
December 4, 2012
4.5
I rounded this book up because I think that it doesn't deserve a mid-3 score. While simple, this book is every bit as elegant as the more popular I Want My Hat Back. There is a genuinely beautiful message of compassion and friendship that the author manages to tell is just a few pages. The illustrations reflect the simplicity of the subject matter.
This would be an especially appropriate book for the pre-school aged children who are just learning how to interact with others.
Most importantly, it brought a smile to my face.
Highly recommend.
I rounded this book up because I think that it doesn't deserve a mid-3 score. While simple, this book is every bit as elegant as the more popular I Want My Hat Back. There is a genuinely beautiful message of compassion and friendship that the author manages to tell is just a few pages. The illustrations reflect the simplicity of the subject matter.
This would be an especially appropriate book for the pre-school aged children who are just learning how to interact with others.
Most importantly, it brought a smile to my face.
Highly recommend.
June 25, 2015
Firstly, lovely minimal illustrations. Was a fun read and the writing was easy to say aloud. It worked out great, as well, when one of the older kids shouted:
"WHY'S HE CALLED SQUISH?"
And, of course, on the next page, there's a picture of little Squish about to be stomped by a giant scaled foot. The kid loved it.
"WHY'S HE CALLED SQUISH?"
And, of course, on the next page, there's a picture of little Squish about to be stomped by a giant scaled foot. The kid loved it.
September 21, 2011
This one was so cute. I loved the art work and the simple story of friendship. A quick read that even Carter enjoyed. Also Micah could read the page that had STOP! in big red letters and he always is so proud of himself when he gets to pitch in for the story.
September 24, 2012
Loved it! The simplicity of the character and layout has an elegance about it. Very appealing. Just as a pic book should be. Parents, I highly recommend. Well done Katherine.
Read
February 9, 2016A quick read about finding a friend, I'd recommend for toddlers through age 6, at the highest.
February 10, 2019
Squish is a little rabbit who is a bit lonely until he meets a new friend.
This lovely story is about being lonely and making a friend which is a popular topic in children’s literature. The illustrations were collaborated with digitization and collage to create exuberant and unique art styles. For instance, the character was digitized while collage techniques created the backgrounds. I like the texture of hanji which is traditional Korean paper handmade from mulberry trees, and I could see them in some parts of the artworks. For instance, backgrounds of the front and back end papers reminded me of hanji. The tree trunks and cliff were also exampling of the unique texture of the paper. I also liked that Squish was on the front end paper while Squish and the new squirrel friend were together at the back end paper. By juxtaposing characters in both end papers, their friendship was explicitly illustrated. Moreover, the empty-space between Squish and the new friend in illustration indicates the distance of the strangers before becoming friends. The distance was getting closer next page by zooming up the two characters. I appreciated that illustrations effectively deliver the story without redundant descriptions of the backgrounds.
This lovely story is about being lonely and making a friend which is a popular topic in children’s literature. The illustrations were collaborated with digitization and collage to create exuberant and unique art styles. For instance, the character was digitized while collage techniques created the backgrounds. I like the texture of hanji which is traditional Korean paper handmade from mulberry trees, and I could see them in some parts of the artworks. For instance, backgrounds of the front and back end papers reminded me of hanji. The tree trunks and cliff were also exampling of the unique texture of the paper. I also liked that Squish was on the front end paper while Squish and the new squirrel friend were together at the back end paper. By juxtaposing characters in both end papers, their friendship was explicitly illustrated. Moreover, the empty-space between Squish and the new friend in illustration indicates the distance of the strangers before becoming friends. The distance was getting closer next page by zooming up the two characters. I appreciated that illustrations effectively deliver the story without redundant descriptions of the backgrounds.
October 20, 2021
Squish Rabbit & Friendship
Illustrations that emphasize “little”rabbit in a big world. Imaginary friend leading to friendship with squirrel. All with fresh, modern illustrations. A hit with a three year old.
Illustrations that emphasize “little”rabbit in a big world. Imaginary friend leading to friendship with squirrel. All with fresh, modern illustrations. A hit with a three year old.
February 25, 2017
Poor Squish Rabbit. He doesn't know how to make friends, but when he rescues someone from his own mistake, it works out...
November 26, 2017
This is a sweet and simple story about self-reliance and friendship. I really like the illustrations.
January 22, 2018
A patron told me about this book. I guess it just wasn't my thing.
March 20, 2018
Cute, funny illustrations, but the story isn't much of anything. Don't think I'd use it, although it would work with little kids, due to the lack of lengthy text.
May 3, 2018
Cute and fun book, very easy to read!
April 27, 2019
Cute and quick story about a small rabbit who always feel too small, but making friends helps.
Family and Toddler Storytime with a focus on Friendship.
Family and Toddler Storytime with a focus on Friendship.
September 22, 2019
This is a cute book about a little rabbit, who is often left out, finding a friend.
October 15, 2020
"Squish thought no one was watching, so he threw a little tantrum."
June 27, 2022
A charming book for any rabbit loving child.
September 3, 2022
This could work with integrated PreK, but I don't have them this year. Instead, I have four autistic rooms ranging from K-5. I think the book is not quite concrete enough for them.
October 15, 2022
A lovely eloquent picture book for youngsters (0-5) about being lonely and finding a friend when you least expect it. Adorable!
October 8, 2024
It's not easy being small but a friend can make life better. A good book to use to talk to very young children about feeling frustrated and how to make a positive change.
July 24, 2025
Squish is a small rabbit. No one really pays attention to him, which makes him feel sad and frustrated. I liked the resolution, and I also really liked the style of the illustrations.
June 29, 2024
I LOVE THIS BOOK ITS SO CUTE LOL
March 20, 2017
The illustrations in this book are adorable. Squish Rabbit just looks so perfectly squishable, I think I might have to go and crochet one. :)
November 19, 2012
The book, Squish Rabbit, tells the story of a rabbit who believes his size leads him to miss out on things in life. As the story progresses and Squish Rabbit exhibits frustration about his small stature, he eventually finds his voice and consequently, makes a friend.
A possible theme for the work is, “big things come in small packages.” Children can relate to Squish Rabbit’s feelings of sadness, loneliness, and frustration at being just too “little” to make an impact. However, this misconception is “squished” as the story progresses and Squish Rabbit finds that he has a place in this world after all. This book teaches us that our appearance only has consequences on our lives if we let it. Squish Rabbit, albeit small, has a lot to offer – he just had to believe in himself.
Squish Rabbit is the focus of the work, with other characters being represented as much larger than Squish Rabbit with only the bottom half of their bodies being illustrated. We, and Squish Rabbit, do not meet a character of his size until he saves the life of a squirrel, who becomes his friend. Throughout the book, Squish Rabbit’s disappointments in life are put on full display – he is hard to see, others do not listen to him, and his pretend friends cannot substitute for the real thing. Squish Rabbit learns that he does have an impact on the world, when during a tantrum, he kicks an apple, sending a little squirrel on a playful romp after it, only to endanger the squirrel’s life. Squish Rabbit saves the squirrel’s life, and makes a friend, by shouting, “stop!” He learns that his actions, no matter how large or small, can have a positive or negative impact on the rest of the world.
The work uses very simple sentences, with many of the sentences beginning with conjunctions. Although the sentences are simple, they hold a lot of meaning and feeling, thus connecting the reader to Squish Rabbit’s plight. The illustrations are quite unique, featuring Squish Rabbit as a simple black and white outline, and his world as bright, colorful and textured. The illustrations appear to use a combination of colored pencil, fabric, and paper, working together to create an interesting reading experience. The detail of the illustrations, in comparison to the simplicity of Squish Rabbit, also works to convey the feelings that he has about himself – that he is inconsequential in such a beautiful, interesting world.
The work could be used in story time, but might work better as an individual read with young children who are experiencing difficulties with fitting in. This award-winning and notable book is an essential purchase for all libraries.
A possible theme for the work is, “big things come in small packages.” Children can relate to Squish Rabbit’s feelings of sadness, loneliness, and frustration at being just too “little” to make an impact. However, this misconception is “squished” as the story progresses and Squish Rabbit finds that he has a place in this world after all. This book teaches us that our appearance only has consequences on our lives if we let it. Squish Rabbit, albeit small, has a lot to offer – he just had to believe in himself.
Squish Rabbit is the focus of the work, with other characters being represented as much larger than Squish Rabbit with only the bottom half of their bodies being illustrated. We, and Squish Rabbit, do not meet a character of his size until he saves the life of a squirrel, who becomes his friend. Throughout the book, Squish Rabbit’s disappointments in life are put on full display – he is hard to see, others do not listen to him, and his pretend friends cannot substitute for the real thing. Squish Rabbit learns that he does have an impact on the world, when during a tantrum, he kicks an apple, sending a little squirrel on a playful romp after it, only to endanger the squirrel’s life. Squish Rabbit saves the squirrel’s life, and makes a friend, by shouting, “stop!” He learns that his actions, no matter how large or small, can have a positive or negative impact on the rest of the world.
The work uses very simple sentences, with many of the sentences beginning with conjunctions. Although the sentences are simple, they hold a lot of meaning and feeling, thus connecting the reader to Squish Rabbit’s plight. The illustrations are quite unique, featuring Squish Rabbit as a simple black and white outline, and his world as bright, colorful and textured. The illustrations appear to use a combination of colored pencil, fabric, and paper, working together to create an interesting reading experience. The detail of the illustrations, in comparison to the simplicity of Squish Rabbit, also works to convey the feelings that he has about himself – that he is inconsequential in such a beautiful, interesting world.
The work could be used in story time, but might work better as an individual read with young children who are experiencing difficulties with fitting in. This award-winning and notable book is an essential purchase for all libraries.
September 5, 2011
Squish Rabbit is about a tiny rabbit that goes unnoticed by all other animals. Squish got very lonely so he made himself a cloth bunny friend. The imaginary friend only worked for so long so he decided to play with the trees. The trees however broke the rules so Squish got mad and kicked an apple which a squirrel then chased to an edge of a cliff until Squish yelled at him to stop. The squirrel and Squish then became best friends.
The age range for this book would be for nursery because the book does not have many words and is mainly told with pictures.
The artistic elements in Squish Rabbit are pleasing. The book's illustrations are done using real material. For example Squish Rabbit's pretend bunny friend is made from a plaid piece of cloth. The trees are made from a ripped piece of brown paper and multiple pieces of green paper and fabric. The design of the book has a white or a light colored background to make the reader feel safe. Also the shapes are more rounded rather than pointed giving comfort and safety as well.
I chose to read this book because I felt as if I could relate to Squish Rabbit. I am short myself and sometimes go unnoticed. I would recommend this book to read to children because it can show the child that no matter how small you are someone will always notice you. The book is a cute short read that any child can enjoy.
The age range for this book would be for nursery because the book does not have many words and is mainly told with pictures.
The artistic elements in Squish Rabbit are pleasing. The book's illustrations are done using real material. For example Squish Rabbit's pretend bunny friend is made from a plaid piece of cloth. The trees are made from a ripped piece of brown paper and multiple pieces of green paper and fabric. The design of the book has a white or a light colored background to make the reader feel safe. Also the shapes are more rounded rather than pointed giving comfort and safety as well.
I chose to read this book because I felt as if I could relate to Squish Rabbit. I am short myself and sometimes go unnoticed. I would recommend this book to read to children because it can show the child that no matter how small you are someone will always notice you. The book is a cute short read that any child can enjoy.
Read
September 9, 2014Battersby, K. (2011). Squish Rabbit. New York: Penguin Group.
No Review Source Necessary (didn’t care for)
Picture Book Soak
This picture book is about a little rabbit that has a difficult time with making friends and dealing with situations due to his size. However, Squish ends up finding things when he is not looking for them. The illustrations are well organized and the images looked like they had different textures. The font is large in size and there are a small amount of words within this story. The images and the words give readers a good idea about what is happening in the story. This story is a good way to teach young students about being kind to one another and for sequencing assignments. This is a good book for pk-3rd graders. I though the story was good, but I did not like the illustrations because a majority of the illustrations would be half white and then have bright colors taking up half the page. I just felt that the white and the colors were fighting against each other. If you want to read for a picture book for a story, then this is a good book, but if you want to read for the illustration, I personally would not recommend it.
No Review Source Necessary (didn’t care for)
Picture Book Soak
This picture book is about a little rabbit that has a difficult time with making friends and dealing with situations due to his size. However, Squish ends up finding things when he is not looking for them. The illustrations are well organized and the images looked like they had different textures. The font is large in size and there are a small amount of words within this story. The images and the words give readers a good idea about what is happening in the story. This story is a good way to teach young students about being kind to one another and for sequencing assignments. This is a good book for pk-3rd graders. I though the story was good, but I did not like the illustrations because a majority of the illustrations would be half white and then have bright colors taking up half the page. I just felt that the white and the colors were fighting against each other. If you want to read for a picture book for a story, then this is a good book, but if you want to read for the illustration, I personally would not recommend it.
August 3, 2011
Sometimes little things and little people can be ignored--especially when there are bigger and louder folks around them. That's exactly the case for Squish, a rabbit who watches things pass him by. But there's more to this little rabbit than meets the eye--if only someone would stop and notice. One day his tantrum almost causes a tragedy until he summons enough voice to prevent it. Squish finds that life is so much better when you have friends. This simple book has a positive message for the quiet and loud folks among us, and young readers will certainly relate to how Squish is treated. The simple illustrations support the story well, adding interest and texture with striped socks hanging on a clothesline and plaid fabric fashioned into a make-believe bunny friend.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews