A squash and a squeeze

1993

fiction
stories in rhyme
humorous stories
dwellings
domestic animals
juvenile fiction
children's poetry
children's fiction
houses, fiction
domestic animals, fiction

The story

With the help of an old man and all of her animals, an old lady realizes that her house is not as small as she thought it was.

What it’s like

Bright, loose ink-and-watercolour illustrations sit against plenty of white space, and the page turns feel like a small, warm event in a picture book for the very young. Julia Donaldson's rhyming text is bouncy and repetitive, built on cumulative refrains that children can join in on by the second reading, with a rhythm that suits being read aloud at bedtime or on a lap in a sunny corner. The world is cosy and domestic: a crowded cottage, a patient old man, a clutch of noisy animals, and an old lady whose worries are gently turned on their head. The mood is comic and affectionate, with no real peril, no violence, and nothing frightening beyond a little mock-exasperation. It suits a parent or grandparent looking for something light and funny to share with a toddler or early reader, and anyone who wants a calm, playful read that ends with everyone content.

More books like A squash and a squeeze

Closest in mood, pacing and theme. Tell us why you loved A squash and a squeezeand we’ll explain which ones fit you.