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Serendipity
Crickle-Crack
Squeakers the squirrel experiences some harmful side effects after eating the forbidden berries from the Crickle-Crack tree.
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1978
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
October 20, 2017
I read this book probably in the second or third grade. It's basically about a drug-addicted squirrel, and that is literally the only context that can make crippling substance abuse adorable. The themes this book deals with may be a bit heavy for today's children. I grew up in the 80's, when things like "caring about your kids" and "helicopter parenting" didn't exist, so we needed things like books and Nancy Reagan to tell us to "just say no". I'm not saying this book kept me off crack, but I've never done crack, and I'd like to think Serendipity books played a (very) small part in that.
July 3, 2017
This book doesn't exactly read or feels that it belongs to the Serendipity series probably since of the importance of the message while I think it is geared for an older crowd than the usual collection of Serendipity readers.
The pictures follow along with the text - dark and ominous. And it is a bit bothersome that the tree ends up growing again but at first I thought there would be another poor addicted critter to job Squeakers.
I guess with the tree growing back it is a slight message that evil never totally leaves and you must always be vigilant for you never know where it is going to pop-up next.
The pictures follow along with the text - dark and ominous. And it is a bit bothersome that the tree ends up growing again but at first I thought there would be another poor addicted critter to job Squeakers.
I guess with the tree growing back it is a slight message that evil never totally leaves and you must always be vigilant for you never know where it is going to pop-up next.
February 5, 2022
I read the Serendipity books when I was a kid and recently saw them mentioned in a FB book group. I had forgotten all about them in the past 35+ years, but all my fond memories of them returned. So, I found some on Thriftbooks and ordered a few for my daughter who is about to turn 7. Just by looking at the pictures of the covers, she requested this one. It arrived today and we read it.
Oh. My.
It is, as the name plainly suggests, a book about crack cocaine. Squeakers the squirrel is tempted to try one of the white buds that never blossoms on the crickle-crack tree. He has been warned never to try them, but the abstinence message worked as well on him as it did in the Garden of Eden. Although the bud tastes bitter, it transforms the way he sees and experiences the world. Right away he is hooked and ditches school all day so he can continue to try the bud. (At one point the tree makes some sort of evil noise.)
Fortunately our little Squeakers has a friend who notices his little problem at school the next day when Squeakers shoves handfuls of buds into his mouth, reckless of the consequences. Squeakers's parents are called, and they take him home to cuddle him and talk about why he should not eat the buds. The End? Nope. Then his father joins a mob with torches (I am not making this up) and they chop up and burn the crickle-crack tree.
The End?
I grew up in the era of D.A.R.E., so I'm confident that had I read this book as a kid (and I didn't), the message would not have been lost on me. My daughter, raised in the era of a global pandemic, did not know what to make of the book. So there I am reading in disbelief a just-say-no book, watching the story unfold with the eyes of an adult who now has a much more nuanced understanding of the nature of substance abuse, addiction, and alllllll the systemic racism inherent in the war oncrack cocaine people addicted to crack, while my daughter sits next to me trying to figure out what is going on in this book. Eventually she concludes the tree must be under an evil spell.
Tomorrow, I'm just going to check in with her and make sure she understands that angry mobs with torches are never the solution--not for enchanted trees and not for public health crises.
Oh. My.
It is, as the name plainly suggests, a book about crack cocaine. Squeakers the squirrel is tempted to try one of the white buds that never blossoms on the crickle-crack tree. He has been warned never to try them, but the abstinence message worked as well on him as it did in the Garden of Eden. Although the bud tastes bitter, it transforms the way he sees and experiences the world. Right away he is hooked and ditches school all day so he can continue to try the bud. (At one point the tree makes some sort of evil noise.)
Fortunately our little Squeakers has a friend who notices his little problem at school the next day when Squeakers shoves handfuls of buds into his mouth, reckless of the consequences. Squeakers's parents are called, and they take him home to cuddle him and talk about why he should not eat the buds. The End? Nope. Then his father joins a mob with torches (I am not making this up) and they chop up and burn the crickle-crack tree.
The End?
I grew up in the era of D.A.R.E., so I'm confident that had I read this book as a kid (and I didn't), the message would not have been lost on me. My daughter, raised in the era of a global pandemic, did not know what to make of the book. So there I am reading in disbelief a just-say-no book, watching the story unfold with the eyes of an adult who now has a much more nuanced understanding of the nature of substance abuse, addiction, and alllllll the systemic racism inherent in the war on
Tomorrow, I'm just going to check in with her and make sure she understands that angry mobs with torches are never the solution--not for enchanted trees and not for public health crises.
March 22, 2024
I remember using my allowance to buy this book from a Scholastic book order form (any 80s kids remember those?). The description made it sound like a thriller and of course the cover with the adorable squirrel caught my eye.
I was a bit displayed in 3rd grade to find out it was a children's book geared for younger readers, but read it anyway. Even as an adult, I'm still impressed by the illustrations. Said adorable squirrel, Squeakers, is described as a delight of the forest and the artwork conveys this beautifully. The detail is just such a pleasure and helps the reader feel Squeakers stress, fear, relief, and joy.
As for the story from a child's perspective, meh. It's an evil tree with no origin story or explanation.
As an adult, I saw it on a whole new level. CRACK. The Crickle-Crack nut is addictive, makes Squeakers hyper and silly, leaves him feeling miserable after the hyperness wears off. It's not exactly subtle, is it?
I was a bit displayed in 3rd grade to find out it was a children's book geared for younger readers, but read it anyway. Even as an adult, I'm still impressed by the illustrations. Said adorable squirrel, Squeakers, is described as a delight of the forest and the artwork conveys this beautifully. The detail is just such a pleasure and helps the reader feel Squeakers stress, fear, relief, and joy.
As for the story from a child's perspective, meh. It's an evil tree with no origin story or explanation.
As an adult, I saw it on a whole new level. CRACK. The Crickle-Crack nut is addictive, makes Squeakers hyper and silly, leaves him feeling miserable after the hyperness wears off. It's not exactly subtle, is it?
July 9, 2023
I appreciate the family-friendly way this topic is handled (pseudo-spoiler: take "Crickle-" out of the title).
I'm not really a fan of the ending, which makes it feel vaguely like a horror movie instead (the evil tree grows back anyway). It also feels slightly upsetting that Squeakers is the recipient not only of physical abuse but also a drug abuser. Can't the poor squirrel catch a break?
Cute (despite the subject matter) and recommended for all impressionable readers of any age. Whether the lesson takes, here's hoping!
I'm not really a fan of the ending, which makes it feel vaguely like a horror movie instead (the evil tree grows back anyway). It also feels slightly upsetting that Squeakers is the recipient not only of physical abuse but also a drug abuser. Can't the poor squirrel catch a break?
Cute (despite the subject matter) and recommended for all impressionable readers of any age. Whether the lesson takes, here's hoping!
May 24, 2025
This was interesting.
What if Bambi experimented with forest drugs and then wrote a cautionary tale… in crayon… while spinning in circles?
Did I just read my 6 year-old a story about a cracked out/stoned school-aged squirrel? Maybe? I’m honestly still not sure what the underlying moral of this was. Just say no… to weird flowers from an ugly, singing tree?
What if Bambi experimented with forest drugs and then wrote a cautionary tale… in crayon… while spinning in circles?
Did I just read my 6 year-old a story about a cracked out/stoned school-aged squirrel? Maybe? I’m honestly still not sure what the underlying moral of this was. Just say no… to weird flowers from an ugly, singing tree?
July 31, 2017
I... did not expect the serendipity books to take on the crack epidemic, but, well, they did. And not in a subtle way, either.
March 28, 2019
how the conversation for the making of this book went
"you know what kids really need?"
"what?"
"a story about a tree that is actually drugs. the six year olds will love it!"
"you know what kids really need?"
"what?"
"a story about a tree that is actually drugs. the six year olds will love it!"
September 9, 2021
This is part of a series from the ‘70s (Serendipity). Colorful pictures and a little lesson in each story. About one paragraph a page alongside a full page picture.
June 30, 2015
Crickle-crack is more text intensive than the Serendipity books I have already reviewed, and contains a rather more serious message. It is aimed, I would say, at the 5-8 age group because, quite simply, it is a story about the evil influence of drugs.
The crickle-crack is a twisted and gnarled tree, which produces mutated little flowers that only bud and never blossom. Little Squeakers, a charming and playful young squirrel, hears tales about this unplesant tree and stumbles upon it one day - and it lures him into tasting its stunted white buds. The first tastes bitter, but it makes him happy ("...dancing to songs that had never been sung..."), so he takes another... and another... before he knows it the day is over and he's missed school. He heads home and lies to his mother. The buds give him nightmares but he continues to take more, and embarrsses himself at school the next day.
Overall, the message is rather unsubtle, the illustrations slightly darker and less filled with whimsical charm. Of course, it might not just be drugs - it could be sugar, or caffeine, but the message remains the same - "it's important to know when to say 'no'".
The crickle-crack is a twisted and gnarled tree, which produces mutated little flowers that only bud and never blossom. Little Squeakers, a charming and playful young squirrel, hears tales about this unplesant tree and stumbles upon it one day - and it lures him into tasting its stunted white buds. The first tastes bitter, but it makes him happy ("...dancing to songs that had never been sung..."), so he takes another... and another... before he knows it the day is over and he's missed school. He heads home and lies to his mother. The buds give him nightmares but he continues to take more, and embarrsses himself at school the next day.
Overall, the message is rather unsubtle, the illustrations slightly darker and less filled with whimsical charm. Of course, it might not just be drugs - it could be sugar, or caffeine, but the message remains the same - "it's important to know when to say 'no'".
August 12, 2013
I loved these books as a kid, I thought the illustrations were really great (I think it was the big pretty eyes...). I remember this story was about a squirrel who really liked combing her tail and looking pretty... I'm sure there was a moral to the story but I don't remember what it was. The title doesn't even sound familiar, but I definitely remember this cover!
note: The above plot is from the book Squeakers. This book is basically about drug addiction... in squirrels. Hmm...
note: The above plot is from the book Squeakers. This book is basically about drug addiction... in squirrels. Hmm...
September 18, 2014
This one didn't strike my chord quite as much as some of the others. Maybe I'm thick-headed or something, but I didn't get the storyline exactly. The Crickle-Crack tree seemed out of place. I'm probably overthinking this very simple children's book. I guess I really didn't like that the tree was growing back. I would think that all the creaures would go back and make sure it's completely destroyed.
September 4, 2013
I love most serendipity books but this particular one is a bit of a disappointment compared to the others in the collection. The lesson is a bit muddled in the end and needs more explaining to kids than some of their other books. It just feels like an overall rushed project. Still a decent book but not spectacular. The artwork is still adorable.
January 21, 2008
As with most Serendipity Books, the drawings are really captivating and adorable. I was amused by how frank the message of this story is; Squeakers is basically suffering from a drug addiction. I loved reading this book to children at the library when I was a volunteer.
February 28, 2018
It's about a cute, wide-eyed squirrel in the forest ... and CRACK (yes, the drug)! Most of the pictures and a third of the story are at a preschool level, but the story is way to dark for most kids below third grade! I'd like to hear a grade schooler's opinion.
Age: PG
Age: PG
November 2, 2007
This book rules. Squeakers gets addicted to crickle crack... Gotta read it for the part where he is hippy dancing!
August 28, 2011
A children's book on drugs. Mostly highly amusing (heavy-handed even when I was little) and actually pretty enjoyable.
October 18, 2012
Children's books about beating drug addiction FTW! <3
January 13, 2015
Kind of twisted and dark with the cutest pictures ever.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews