From her prologue to the closing chapter, author D.A. Power weaves a lovely, engaging tale for children of all ages about the bond between a young girl, an enchanted mouse, and the struggle to find acceptance.
Set in the 1980s in a quaint, midwestern town, Squeak follows the life of 10-year-old Celeste, the shy, awkward new girl in school content to fly under the radar to cope within her new surroundings. From the first and in nearly every situation, Celeste demonstrates her resilience and her moxie, traits she only comes to recognize with the help of a special friend and a twist of magic.
As narrator, Celeste pulls us into her complex web of fears, hopes and dreams thanks to Power’s deft descriptions and humorous storytelling. The author does a fantastic job of capturing the sights and sounds of the time, making the novel a nostalgic, entertaining read for both adults and the middle grades. You can’t help but remember what it was like to be ten thanks to Power’s clear and poignant descriptions and dialogue. Indeed, she navigates every tense moment in the plot with finesse and strength, building up to an interesting climax and resolving the action with satisfaction.
You leave the novel fully invested in what will come next for Celeste and the gang. That’s why Cowboys and Queens, Book 2 in The Asher Chronicles, is most definitely on my TBRs!
Squeak goes live Oct. 25. Preorder your copy here.