The Dark at the Top of the Stairs
Written by Sam McBratney
Illustrated by Ivan Bates
Reviewed by Giovanni L. (age 9) & Isaias D (age 7)
The book is about the mice wanting to go upstairs to see the monster at the top of the stairs. Their grandfather said in the morning do you want to go to your cousin's house? Berry-berry said I want to go upstairs to see the monster. The mice climbed up the stairs one by one. The monster is a cat. The monster said "MEEEEEOOOOOWWWWW". The mice saw the shadow of the cat. When they saw the cat they got scared and they slid down the stairs going bumpety bump, slippety slide and tumble-thump.
They had never been upstairs. They promised not to talk about the monster. Giovanni liked this book. He thought it was a little scary. Isaias did not think it was scary, but his favorite part was when the cat?s shadow appeared and the mice heard MEOW. Giovanni?s favorite part was the next part when the mice went slipping, sliding and tumbling down the stairs. He liked the way those words sounded. The next day the mice?s grandfather asked the young mice do you want to play in the yard or visit your cousins in the cornfield. The mice said they wanted to play in the yard near the acorn tree. Upstairs was too scary!