The Very Quiet Cricket

by Eric Carle

Book Overview

From bestselling author and illustrator Eric Carle, the creator of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, comes another classic tale about one very quiet cricket. A perfect gift to share with the child or grandchild in your life.

One day a tiny cricket is born and meets a big cricket who chirps his welcome. The tiny cricket tries to respond, but there is no sound. The quiet cricket then makes his way into the world, meeting one insect...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0399218858
• ISBN13: 9780399218859
• Release Date: November 1990
• Publisher: Philomel Books
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 1.26 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 11.6" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 2 to 5 years

Customer Reviews

Poor condition

I love this publication but am disappointed that it was classified as being in good condition. Part of the magic of the book is the cricket sound and that part of the book is torn and broken. I wouldn’t even class this as acceptable given that a primary feature is nonfunctional.

Lovely kids book

Wonderful kids book, love Eric Carle

The quiet cricket is too quiet

This is one of my favorite books but I was disappointed because the cricket sound @ the end of the story didn’t work. I will see if I can figure out if a battery is needed.

Gorgeous, and with a surprise at the end

Next to the Hungry Caterpillar this is one of our favourite books in the house, and a favourite Carle book. We have this in board book as we have had this book since my kids were babies. It is still popular as it is really also an early reader - recognising various animals in the garden (although not all are relevant) This is about a cricket who makes no sound, he meets various other insects in his quest to find out what sound he makes, but he can't do anything. Finally on the last page he meets another cricket, and makes a sound. The nice surprise is that there is a sensor and when you open that page the sensor sets off a lovely cricket sound (doesn't it remind you of summer nights) Lovely illustrations, a bit of a quizzical looking cricket, but cut and appealing. Nice use of language and a simple idea which is easily followed through.

One of my favorites!

This was one of my first Eric Carle books. It's a very friendly book featuring a baby cricket, new to the world being greeted by a variety of friendly insects. It's also a wonderful way to introduce children to many different kinds of insects, all wonderfully illustrated. The story is written in a way where a poetic rhythm can be created easily that's carried from page to page to help with certain emphasis that builds expectation. That's seems to be the case with most of Erics books. Simple stories and repetition for emphasis. Throught this story "the very quite cricket wants to say hello so he rubs his legs together and nothing happens not a sound!" It ends with the very quite cricket meeting another cricket who is also very quiet. this time when he rubs his legs together you turn the page and here an actual cricket chirp which is sampled or synthisized onto a little chip with replaceble batteries inserted into the back cover controlled by a simple attachment thats activated when you turn the last page. Pretty cool! I love it and so do my kids!

A wonderful story

This is a great book! I was reading some of the reviews. yes the bugs are difficult to say but this is how the child learns. My children love this story and the illustrations are every bit as good as all of Eric Carle books! My son loves bugs and this book!!! The ending is the best part so you will have to read and reread it many, many times. This book would make a wonderful addition to any childs library!

A young cricket attempts to respond to passerbys, but fails.

This is a wonderful book for children. The illustrations are colorful, and Carle's unique technique of introducing new vocabulary into the young child's mind is extraordinary! The various insects in their own individual portrait, create a distinct mood all of their own. The repetition makes it easy for children to interact and respond with the reader, which builds and develops in the child not only a sense of accomplishment, but also a personal identification with the written literature. Most of all, children are always fascinated by the "surprise" ending!

Masterful and Magical story telling by Eric Carle

I read the book the Very Quiet Cricket upon the prodding of my sister who happens to be a pre-school teacher. She was preparing several synopses on Eric Carle books which would be printed in the programme of her school's forthcoming Reading Recital. My sister asked me to help her write the synopsis to this book as well as 3 other books. Eric Carle's storytelling in the Very Quiet Cricket caught my curiosity as different insects interacted with our hero page after colorful page. The story ended in a way which delighted me and gave me such respect for the lowly cricket. I discovered a beautiful love story in the book, a story of how awesome nature really is. For me, the chirping sound in the last page really became "the most beautiful sound I had ever heard".