The Very Quiet Cricket (Penguin Young Readers, Level 3)

One day, a little cricket is born and meets a big cricket who chirps his welcome. But the little cricket cannot make a sound. The cricket meets many insects, but it isn't until he meets a beautiful female cricket that he can finally chirp "hello!"

Excerpt:
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.