Introduction
Full of Eric Carle’s impressive and lush picture art, a gentle, regular text for read-aloud, and a wonder-inducing surprise at the end, The Very Quiet Cricket remains an all-time favorite from one of the true leaders of picture-book making.One day a little cricket is born and joins a big cricket who chirps his hospitality. The tiny cricket tries to answer, but there is no sound. The quiet cricket then forces his way into the system, engaging one insect after another, each of who greets the tiny cricket with a pleasant hello–the hum of a bee, the buzz of a dragonfly, the secret of a praying mantis. The cricket rubs his arms mutually each time, but nothing appears, not a sound. Until the day he battles another cricket, a female, and something different happens.
The Very Quiet Cricket by Eric Carle
One warm day, from a tiny egg a little cricket was born. “Welcome,” chirped a big cricket, rubbing his wings together. The little cricket wanted to answer, so he rubbed his wings together. But nothing happened. Not a sound.
“Good morning,” whizzed a locust, spinning through the air. The little cricket wanted to answer, so he rubbed his wings together. But nothing happened. Not a sound.
“Hello,” whispered a praying mantis, scraping its huge front legs together. The little cricket wanted to answer, so he rubbed his wings together. But nothing happened. Not a sound.
“Good day,” crunched a worm, munching its way out of an apple. The little cricket wanted to answer, so he rubbed his wings together. But nothing happened. Not a sound.
“Hi,” bubbled a spittlebug, slurping in a sea of froth. The little cricket wanted to answer, so he rubbed his wings together. But nothing happened. Not a sound.
“Good afternoon,” screeched a cicada, clinging to a branch of a tree. The little cricket wanted to answer, so he rubbed his wings together. But nothing happened. Not a sound.
“How are you?” hummed a bumblebee, flying from flower to flower. The little cricket wanted to answer, so he rubbed his wings together. But nothing happened. Not a sound.
“Good evening,” whirred a dragonfly, gliding above the water. The little cricket wanted to answer, so he rubbed his wings together. But nothing happened. Not a sound.
“Good night,” buzzed the mosquitoes, dancing among the stars. The little cricket wanted to answer, so he rubbed his wings together. But nothing happened. Not a sound.
A luna moth sailed quietly through the night and the cricket enjoyed the stillness.
As the luna moth disappeared silently into the distance, the cricket saw another cricket. She, too, was a very quiet cricket. Then he rubbed his wings together one more time. And this time,
he chirped the most beautiful sound that she had ever heard.
“The Very Quiet Cricket” Book Read Aloud Youtube Video
Conversations
So what conversation will you have with your child after reading this book?
Some questions you might like to ask are:
What Little cricket wants?
The little cricket wants to answer.
Who Asked him how are you?
Bumblebee.
Who asked him good night?
Mosquitoes.
Next: Watch Dr Dolittle Book Read Aloud