THE SQUEAKER ┃Chapter Books for Kids┃ Read Aloud Book with Dixy's Storytime World

Hi kids, welcome to Dixie's Storytime World. These are some of the words to look out for. burrow performance clobbered performed culprit balanced knockoff mischief of mice gnawing troop the squeaker chapter one At the bottom of the bush, in the corner of the park, the tiny tumblers are very busy. The performing troop are trying out tricks for their secret autumn show. Local creatures travel from all around to see the amazing mice. Dusk brings down a dark blue cover over the sky. The park beneath is becoming quiet, ready for another night of practicing. One man walks out through the metal gate into the street and pulls up the collar of his woollen coat. He doesn't see the mischief of mice. Humans almost never do. It's quite a shame, because if they did, they would be most impressed. Each troop member has a special talent. Their nighttime shows bring joy to the other animals with a performance once each season. Months of work go into each dazzling display. Hedgehogs have been waiting for weeks. Badgers are on their best behavior in order to attend. Birds flock from far away. If you were to see the mice perform, you would surely understand the excitement. You've probably never seen a mouse cartwheel like the brilliant Buckles can. You would be amazed at Mac and Peggy's acrobatic skills. When Mac stands on his back legs, balancing Peggy on his shoulders, it really is a super sight. Stroopy is swinging bravely from the trapeze. His cape flaps behind him as he soars through the leaves. Mitzi's walking the high string, tied between two branches inside the bush. Otto is perfecting his juggling skills with three small redcurrant berries. Alberto is testing how quickly he can gnaw through fallen sticks. It's a skill he uses for his excellent escape act. All are well hidden from view by the leafy growth above. Even more well hidden is their burrow, neatly tunneled into the ground beneath their feet. I've nearly made it across, says Pinuto, one of the smallest of the troupe. In the falling darkness, she has balanced a thin twig on a pair of large stones. It's her latest party piece. She is walking with great care from one side to the other. She wobbles slightly. You can do it, buckles cheers. At first, it might not seem like an act you are impressed by, until you add that she is balancing only on her two front feet. Pinuto's tail arches one way and then the other, helping to keep her steady. Watch out, shouts Otto, but he has seen the danger just too late. From up above, a scrunched up ball of paper hurtles towards the bottom of the bush. To you, it may be light, but it's twice the size of tiny Pinuto. Out of control, it bounces back up off the ground and then balls straight into the twig on which Pinuto is balanced. She is clobbered clean off her front feet and hits the ground with a mouse-sized thump. Yeowch! Pinuto shrieks as she shakes all from her sides and twitches her whiskers. Chapter Two The scrunched up ball used to be a brown paper bag. After it sends Pinuto tumbling to the ground, it comes to rest in the entrance of the group's burrow. Alberto tries chewing through it, which makes nothing but a mess. Mac and Peggy heave it away to the side of the burrow's opening. This clears the path, but the ball of paper still clutters up the place several nights later. It is also joined by a soggy juice carton and a sticky sweet wrapper. Three times Mitzi has got the wrapper stuck to her fur already. This place is becoming a mess, says Stroopy. He has been hard at work improving his jumping. He jumps through things. He jumps over things. He jumps into things. You might not know it, but most mice are quite good at jumping. Stroopy, also known as Little Sure Shot, is very good indeed. Right now, he's aiming to jump higher than he's ever jumped before. Do you think I can reach the tip of branch number five? He asks Otto. Sure you can, Stroopy. I've never seen a mouse jump like you jump, Otto replies. He places his berries down on the floor so that he can watch. Stroopy prepares himself for another attempt. He crouches low, spreading his paws. His back legs are like springs. Only if you could watch in slow motion would you be able to see those back legs squeeze to the ground and then push off into the air. His front legs stretch upwards like a super mouse taking flight. Sadly, you would not need slow motion to see what happens next. An empty tin can lands but bounces off the ground. It spins up and straight towards Stroopy, midair. The mouse is struck by the can, sending both to the ground below. Squeaks Stroopy. One back leg has twisted in the clumsy landing. Otto helps Stroopy to hobble into the burrow. Buckles is there looking after Panito. She has not yet dared get back on the twig since the event a few nights before. A crisp packet walks among the roots of the bush, bumping into low branches. Well, not really. Hidden under the moving crisp packet walks Mitzi. Two of her paws poke through the packet and now she's stuck with it over her body. Waggling whiskers! What is that? Wonders Panito, popping her head out of the burrow. Buckles steps out and rises on her back legs. Mac and Peggy join her on either side. Says a little voice from inside the crisp packet. Mitzi? Buckles asks. What kind of act is this? It's not an act. Sniffs Mitzi. I'm stuck. Here, let me help, offers Alberto. He chews on the corner of the crisp packet until Mitzi can free her paws. Finally, she wriggles her tiny head out and then the rest of her body until she is free at last. This is getting silly, moans Buckles. There's rubbish everywhere. The paper bag pounded into Panito. The tin can took out Stroopy. Poor Peggy had to pour on a broken bucket yesterday. Now this, something must be done. Where's it all coming from? Asks Alberto. That we shall have to find out, says Buckles. Let's keep watch starting from tonight. Chapter 4. The troop take turns to keep an eye out. They work in pairs on these stakeout ships. They don't want to be spotted by the humans. Of course, Mac and Peggy team up together. They get a grand view with Mac holding up Peggy. But he soon gets tired. He's not used to having her on his shoulders for so long. Panito bravely climbs the low branches of the bush and peers out. Stroopy jumps up to join her. Humans passing through the gate, in and out of the park, never notice the pairs of mouse eyes watching them from behind the leads. Every morning and evening, the stakeouts continue. The same culprits are soon spotted and a pattern becomes clear. Otto and Mitzi see the same pair pass by at both times of day. A grumpy man walks with his head down. A girl with pigtails trots along next to him. Neither of them speak to each other. They just eat and walk. Look, it's them again, says Mitzi. The girl munches on a pastry as she comes closer. When she's finished, she screws up the brown paper bag in which it was held. Without a look or a thought, she tosses it towards the bush. The very same type of bag that knocked Panito off balance, points out Otto. When they are back at the burrow, Buckles gathers everyone together to report back. She has seen the same two humans. The man tossed a can into the air and kicked it into the bush. The girl left a trail of sweet wrappers as she walked, Buckles explained. Then the stakeout has been a success. We spotted where the rubbish is coming from, Otto says. We have another problem, Buckles goes on. Not only are both the burrow and the bottom of the bush overflown with rubbish, but everyone has also been too tired or busy to get ready for the show. So much time has been spent trying to clear the burrow. At least three of us are already hurt and we are all worried about the danger still faced. I'm afraid the autumn performance cannot go ahead. We are not ready. Squeaks' sadness comes from all of the troupe. We've never missed a performance before, says Stroopy, his front paws pressed together. The visiting creatures will be so sad. We must let them know, adds Alberto. We should tell them why, says Mac, and we should do something about it. We have to stop those humans and teach them a lesson. What can we do? Asks Mitzi. We're just little mice. We're too tiny to make a difference to them, Finito agrees. Buckles twitches her whiskers. Let's see. Chapter 5 The bottom of the bush is filthy with rubbish. Empty cans, sticky wrappers, salty crisp packets. There are six screwed up balls of brown paper. The mischief of mice must do something. Alberto has the first idea. He waits until the pair of humans come by and then bravely darts from his hiding place. Mice are not supposed to do this. It is very dangerous. He scampers onto the shoe of the girl. She is so busy chomping her way through a donut that she doesn't even spot the mouse. Alberto gets to work gnawing through the girl's shoelace. The others watch from the safety of the bottom of the bush. Just as he's almost chewed through the shoelace, the girl looks down. She sees Alberto. She screams. She kicks her foot high into the air. It sends Alberto soaring back towards the bush. For a moment, he looks like he's really flying. Stroopy thinks it would make for a great trick. But Alberto is out of control, spinning through the air until he whacks into the bush. He tumbles down inside, his fall broken by branch after branch. Luckily, he comes to a spot before hitting the ground. Battered and dazed, he hangs from the last branch and then lets go, dropping to the floor. The man and the girl carry on by. A donut and its plastic box left behind on the path. That evening, the very same humans are on their way back through the metal gates. Stroopy has an idea of his own. They don't call him Little Sure-Shot for nothing, you know. He's been practicing his whole life for a moment like this. He waits until the humans are just past the bush and then he runs. With one giant jump, he throws himself onto the back of the man's left leg. At first, the man doesn't feel the small mouse through his thick trousers. Stroopy is not finished. He darts up the back of the man's leg and under the back of his coat. He wriggles up to the man's shoulder and down his sleeve. Now, the man feels something tickle. He waves his arms around like he's doing a strange dance. He pulls off his coat and throws it to the ground. Stroopy dashes from the dropped coat just in time. As the mouse takes cover back under the bush, the man stamps all over his own coat. He picks it up, shakes it and drapes it over his arm. The man and the girl hurry on. Some unwanted items from his pockets left behind all over the path. You could have been squashed, cries Mitzi. She pats Stroopy down, checking for injuries. These ideas are too dangerous, says Buckles. They're not working. There's more rubbish than ever. We need a better plan. I think I know what we can do. Chapter 6 The mice get to work. Buckles has explained a plan and they are all eager to get started. They gather together all the rubbish from under the bush. They even drag in more rubbish from around the outside of the bush. Word has reached some of the other creatures about what has happened. Upset about the show not going ahead, they want to help. Birds drop off more materials. Plastic is picked from the branches. The entrance to the burrow is unblocked. The whole place starts to look tidy, apart from one big pile of rubbish. Not just rubbish, Buckles reminds them. Useful parts. Alberto nibbles through pieces of string to trim them to the right lengths. He cuts through cardboard with his teeth to make shapes and panels. Otto and Buckles line up empty coffee cups inside each other. Peggy and Mac work together with string in their mouths. They thread the string through one cup and into the next one until it becomes a snake of cups. Tin cans are rolled side by side. Lolli sticks and rubber bands are wrapped around them. They roll along like the tracks of a tank. More parts are built on top. There's a broken bucket and a football that has burst. Six mice work together to push an empty tissue box into place. The hole in the box will come in very handy. In the higher branches, Alberto and Otto find yet more items thrown away. A face mask with two pieces of elastic on either side. A plastic bag and a single glove. From the trees nearby, they collect acorns, chestnuts and berries. They work without stopping. Rolling items one at a time or balancing them on their backs. Finally, the troops sit back and stare at what they have made. Is it finished? Asks Panito. I think so. Answers Buckles. Chapter 7 We should give it a name, says Alberto. What about The Squeaker? Offers Mitzi. Yes! Shout Mac and Peggy together. That's a great name. It's perfect, says Buckles. Now it's time to teach that pair of humans a much needed lesson. Stroopy offers to steer The Squeaker. Little Mitzi and Tiny Panito each squeeze into one of the tin cans on either side. When Buckles shouts, they will run as fast as they can, turning the cans over and over from the inside like a fairground ride. All the other tin cans will turn too. It will make the whole thing move forwards. Also inside The Squeaker are Mac and Peggy. On Mac's shoulders, Peggy gets a view out of the broken bucket. She controls the catapult. On one side, Otto controls the arm that turns round and round. Alberto is on the opposite side. Both have a supply of berries to fire. The Squeaker stands ready beside the bush with the troop all in position inside. It is too big to fit under the lowest branches, but it is out of sight. Other people pass by looking at their phones or down at the ground. The Squeaker's waiting. At the usual time, the culprits come into view. Buckles shouts down to Mitzi and Panito. They start scurrying like hamsters in wheels. Prepare to charge, comes the call from Buckles. The Squeaker rolls out into view, clunking and clattering. It blocks the path, standing one meter tall. The pair of humans stop suddenly. Their mouths hang open at what they see in front of them. The girl steps behind one of the man's legs. The man takes one look at the giant robomouse and drops his breakfast burger. Food spills from the folded cardboard all over the ground. His mouth remains wide open. Charge, Buckles commands. Mitzi and Panito's little legs scurry once more as fast as they can. Otto pounds up and down, firing berries from the Squeaker's rotating arm. They fly out even faster than Alberto can load and fire them on his side. Peggy peers out of a hole. She pulls back on the catapult while still perched on Mac's shoulders. One after another, acorns are launched into the air. Stroopy holds a string in each paw, pulling on them to keep pointing the contraption in the right direction. The man raises his arms to protect himself. He is peppered with acorns and splattered by berries. Birds swoop and squawk overhead. Other creatures peer from their hiding holes to watch the action. Finally, the Squeaker's work is over. The man and girl stagger backwards on the path near the metal gates. They look dazed. The girl blinks, her eyes wide. She stares for a moment at the Squeaker. In her hand is an empty juice carton. She glances down at the carton and then back up at the Squeaker. Sitting on the bin beside the gate is one of the birds. He taps his beak on the edge of the bin. The girl with the pigtails gets the message. Stepping out from behind the man, she walks over to the bin. Into it, she drops the carton and then nods at the Robomouse. The pair of humans hurry away, not taking their eyes off the strange contraption until they are almost out of sight. Chapter 8 If anyone else was nearby after the man and the girl had gone, they would have heard the tiny squeaks of mouse cheers. Scampering down from the contraption, the whole troop jumps for joy next to the meter-high Robomouse. Up above, the birds chirp their congratulations. From the bushes and burrows nearby, there are more cheers from the badgers, foxes and hedgehogs. All have stayed awake well into the daytime to watch this exciting moment. That was as good as any show you've performed, squawks one of the birds. Don't worry, buckles calls excitedly. We'll be back to acrobatics, jumps and tricks next time. Be back here for the winter show. It's not the last they see of the humans, but it is the last of their litter dropping. The man and girl walk their usual route that evening. They slow down as they reach the bush near the park gates. Worried, they look all around them. The mischief of mice are hidden, but they watch from the bottom of the bush. The man takes a swig from his drink as the pair step slowly along the path. He holds it out as if showing it to someone invisible. Then he walks to the bin and drops the bottle inside. Looking all around them as they go, the pair of humans hurry away out of the gates. I think they've learned their lesson, says Otto. Buckles nods in agreement. Finally, now we can get back to practicing some proper tricks again. Stroopy hops from one foot to the other, keen to get started. Yes, shout Mac and Peggy together. The tiny tumblers can't wait to start doing what they do best once more. What shall we do with the squeaker, asks Mitzi. She looks at Pinito, who shrugs. Let's just keep it hidden over here for now, says Alberto. You never know when it might come in handy again. Thanks for listening, children. Now, with the help of a grown-up, put this video on pause and have fun doing some of these puzzles. I'll see you soon in another adventure. Always remember to be good and kind. Bye for now. Thanks for watching and listening. Enjoy more stories at Dixie's Storytime World on YouTube. We're also available on the Kids YouTube app.