Charlie & Mouse
By: Lauren Snyder; illustrated by Emily Hughes
Mouse poked one of the lumps. “Are you awake?’
“No,” said the lump. “We are sleeping.”
“How can you be sleeping?” asked Mouse. “You are talking.”
“I am mom,” said the lump. “I can do what I want.”
This beginner chapter book is just about perfect. It contains the right amount of funny and sweet, and can be compared to the classic Frog and Toad books.
Two young brothers spend the day playing with friends, trying to sell rocks to their neighbors, and convincing their mother to eat a snack AFTER they’ve brushed their teeth before bedtime. Simple, large and repetitive text are great for beginner readers to gain confidence in their reading, all while appealing to kids with realistic perspectives and naturally fun characters. Illustrations flesh out the brothers Charlie and Mouse with great facial expressions and fun costuming. Kids will chuckle and sympathize with the illustrations and the brothers’ actions. I would hand this to any beginning reader who wants a interesting and funny story. And who doesn’t want that?
Recommended for early readers ages 5-9.
Review By: Angela Dubinger