Charlie & Mouse & Grumpy

Charlie & Mouse #2

by Laurel Snyder, Emily Hughes (Illustrator)

In this heartwarming sequel to Laurel Snyder's beginning chapter book Charlie & Mouse, the two brothers enjoy a special visit from their grandpa, Grumpy. Follow along as they discuss being medium, pounce each other, sing the wrong songs, build blanket forts, and more. Paired with effervescent illustrations by Emily Hughes, this touching, funny celebration of imagination and bonding will enchant readers young and old.

Genres: Picture Books, Family, Childrens, Chapter Books, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Kids

48 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2017

About the author

Laurel Snyder is the author of six children's novels, "Orphan Island," "Seven Stories Up," "Bigger than a Bread Box," "Penny Dreadful," "Up and Down the Scratchy Mountains OR The Search for a Suitable Princess" and "Any Which Wall" (Random House) as well as many picture books, including "Charlie & Mouse," "The Forever Garden," "Swan, the life and dance of Anna Pavlova," and "Baxter, the Pig Who Wanted to Be Kosher."

A graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop and a former Michener Fellow, she also writes books for grownups, and is the author of a book of poems, "The Myth of the Simple Machines" (No Tell Books) and a chapbook, "Daphne & Jim: a choose-your-own-adventure biography in verse (Burnside Review Press) and the editor of an anthology, "Half/Life: Jew-ish Tales from Interfaith Homes" (Soft Skull Press).

Though Baltimore will always be her home, she now lives happily in Atlanta.

Reviews

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series. That is all.

[Tj Shay · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know that experience when you really really enjoy book #1 and are disappointed by book #2?? Well, you won't have that feeling with Charlie & Mouse and Grumpy, because I think it's better. Love love love Laurel, and this sweet semi-autobiographical book is just the sweetest.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute early reader.

[Jillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are the cutest stories, and knowing they're based on Laurel's own boys, it makes them even more meaningful. Love that these early chapter books are available for transitional readers.

[Quintina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second installment of adventures of Charlie and Mouse is just as sweet and funny as the original. Kids will relate to the joy and excitement of grandparents visiting.

[Mary Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me too -- love it even more than the first one!

[Dee Dee G · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was going to be about a grumpy old man and a mouse. I was wrong. Adorable story.

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am in love with this story book series already!
I simply adore the two little brothers, Charlie and Mouse (hope it's just a childhood nick ☺️).

Their parents are out on a date and Grumpy comes to babysit the two brothers.
It's so adorable how Grumpy is just like us all adults seemingly tired all the time to kids and, yes, the kids! They are super adorable.

The artwork is basic and so darn classic. I miss picture books with such basic sketches and filled-in colour art.

Want to read the rest of the series 💯

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simply lovely. Two young brothers welcome their grandfather (Grumpy) as he comes for a overnight babysitting visit. I loved how Charlie described himself as big and Mouse described himself as Medium. Grumpy was a great caregiver to the young boys. As a grandmother, I could relate to a lot of the elements in this short chapter book. I look forward to reading more Charlie & Mouse stories.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beginning reader, but weird size. Wonderful stories of a grandfather's visit. Love the way that the pictures tell part of the story.

[Michele Knott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this one even more than the first! I hope there is more Charlie and Mouse in our future!

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

First sentence: There was a knock. At the door. There was a knock at the door! It was Grumpy! "GRUMPY!"

Premise/plot: Charlie and Mouse are back for a second set of adventures. This early chapter book stars two lovable brothers and their grandpa, GRUMPY. The chapters are "Medium," "Pouncing," "Songs," and "Good-bye." In the first story, Mouse explains that he's "medium." He's bigger than he was--small--but he's not big like his brother.

"What is it like being medium?"

"When you are medium," said Mouse, "you can read some books. But also, people read books to you."

"What else?" asked Grumpy.

Mouse thought again.

"When you are medium, you can swim. But your mom sits on the steps and watches. Just in case."

"Ahh," said Grumpy. "It sounds very nice to be medium."

"It is," said Mouse.

"And how many hot dogs can you eat?" asked Grumpy. "When you are medium?"
"You can still eat three hot dogs," Mouse said. "But not with mustard. Mustard is not medium."

"That makes sense," said Grumpy.

In the second story, Charlie and Mouse try to POUNCE Grumpy--but it's hard catching him asleep, or is it?! In the third story, Grumpy tries to put Charlie and Mouse to bed, but he's singing the wrong bedtime songs. In the fourth story, it is sadly time for Grumpy to go home from his visit. Even the blankets are sad.


My thoughts: I love, love, love, love, love, CRAZY love the Charlie and Mouse books. MORE PLEASE. I love the characters. I love the writing. I love the stories. I love the pacing. I love EVERYTHING.


Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 10 out of 10

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I liked the first Charlie & Mouse book, as another reviewer has noted, this second one made me appreciate the two boys even more. I was definitely not disappointed by the four stories, all related to Grumpy, the boys' grandfather, and the fun the three of them had together during the elderly man's visit. The soft colors of the illustrations, rendered in graphite and Photoshop, are an interesting contrast to all the action on the part of the two brothers. What makes this book and this series so appealing is how well the author and illustrator have captured how boys of that particular age behave and think. From Mouse's certainty that while he is not getting big, he is growing into medium to the boys' plot to bounce on Grumpy once he falls asleep in the chair to the poignant farewell at the end in which Charlie confesses that he's sad to see Grumpy leave, parents and caregivers with children of their own will certainly see their offspring in these vignettes. The final illustration with a rumpled envelope and a letter mailed to Grumpy along with his bedraggled toothbrush touched my heart since sometimes we need an excuse to write someone or send them a little missive. These two boys are simply adorable, and their relationship with the old man is quite realistic, reminding many older readers of the love they share(d) with a grandparent or other older relative.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Charlie and Mouse completely and without reservation.

[DaNae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every grandparents visit should be so treasured.

[Maggi Rohde · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the formatting and design of this book is ideal for readers moving from easy readers to short chapter books, the best thing about it is the writing. This is not easy to pull off. Librarians all over the country despair when a child comes to them and says with hopeful eyes, "Can you get me another book like Mercy Watson?" Usually what they mean is "a chapter book I can read that actually has a plot, contains some gentle humor, and has color pictures." I am not at all surprised that Laurel Snyder manages to fulfill the first three of these (and thanks to Emily Hughes for fulfilling the fourth).

Also: how did I not realize the author of Charlie & Mouse also wrote Orphan Island!?

[Margaret Boling · Rating 5 out of 5]

12/31/2017 ~~ Grumpy, the grandpa, comes to join Charlie & Mouse. Blanket's sadness (according to Mouse) is because of the rain, but perhaps it's because Grumpy is leaving. The only thing I wanted was for the cat to enter the story (not just the illustrations). I was so intrigued with the cat's expressions, that I expected more mischief from her. I even went back to the first book to see if she made much of an entrance (no).

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this second book in the Charlie & Mouse series! Such a sweet installment that includes Grumpy, their grandfather. Each chapter is a cute story about their time during a visit from Grumpy. I especially enjoyed the description of what it means to be “middle.” This is a great transitional series.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlie and Mouse and Grumpy is the second in Laurel Snyder's cute picture book series based on her two sons. It was such a fun read. I can't wait to see what happens next to Charlie and his brother. Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for the opportunity to be an early reader in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Arma · Rating 5 out of 5]

My boys loved this book, and after reading it themselves, insisted that they had to read it to their Grandpa, because he says some of the same things, verbatim! My boys really liked the first Charlie & Mouse, and we may have even liked this one better. We hope there are more to come!

[Erin Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Such a sweet story of a grandfather and his grandchildren. I didn't know this was book #2. I will definitely be looking for book #1!

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

So sweet and funny and goes straight to the heart. I think I love this one even more than the first in the series. Grandkids and grandparents will treasure this book.

Read this after getting a galley at ALA and can't believe I missed listing it till now.

[Leslie McWilliams Marcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it to my granddaughter but really loved it more myself (she's a little young). I don't remember what the age group is... like a short-chapter picture book: the best, my favorite more-mileage reading length with my kids.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I might possibly love this one even more than the first one.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlie and Mouse get plenty of Grandpa time when Grumpy comes to visit. Four short cute stories for emergent readers with a sleep joke intertwined throughout, and a small metaphor at the end.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

E-ARC from Edelweiss
This is a great follow up to the first book about Charlie and Mouse.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute beginning chapter book about a visit with Grandpa (Grumppy)

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this quiet, gentle, yet quirky series from Laurel Snyder and Emily Hughes.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

These stories are so tender and sweet.

[Laine · Rating 4 out of 5]

some of the most authentic sounding kids i've read in picture books. so medium! lol