Laurel Snyder - Charlie & Mouse Even Better

For Mose and Lew. Always. And for Chris, who does the grown-up jobs L. S. For Zach and Erin E. H.

Text copyright 2019 by Laurel Snyder.
Illustrations copyright 2019 by Emily Hughes.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data: Names: Snyder, Laurel, author. | Hughes, Emily (Illustrator), illustrator.
Title: Charlie & Mouse even better / by Laurel Snyder ; illustrated by Emily Hughes.
Other titles: Charlie and Mouse even better
Description: San Francisco, California : Chronicle Books LLC, [2019] | Summary: It is Moms birthday, and Charlie and Mouse and their Dad want everything to be perfectso when the cake gets burnt the boys have to come up with a new plan, pronto.
Identifiers: LCCN 2017045864 | ISBN 9781452170657 (alk. paper) | ISBN 9781452171111 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: BrothersJuvenile fiction. | BirthdaysJuvenile fiction. | FamiliesJuvenile fiction. | CYAC: BrothersFiction. | MothersFiction. | BirthdaysFiction. | Family lifeFiction.
Classification: LCC PZ7.S6851764 Cl 2019 | DDC [E]dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017045864 Design by Jennifer Tolo Pierce.
Typeset in Baskerville.
The illustrations in this book were rendered by hand in graphite and with Photoshop. | Family lifeFiction.
Classification: LCC PZ7.S6851764 Cl 2019 | DDC [E]dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017045864 Design by Jennifer Tolo Pierce.
Typeset in Baskerville.
The illustrations in this book were rendered by hand in graphite and with Photoshop.

Chronicle Books LLC
680 Second Street
San Francisco, California 94107 Chronicle Bookswe see things differently.
Become part of our community at www.chroniclekids.com. Mom was making pancakes. These, said Mouse, are the best pancakes ever. Yes, said Charlie. But they could still be better. What would make them better? asked Mom.

They could be smaller, said Charlie. Smaller? said Mom. They could be baby pancakes, said Mouse. Baby pancakes are special. You dont say, said Mom. Ta-dah! said Mom.

Babies! said Mouse. Babies are the best, said Charlie. Mom is the best! shouted Mouse. I wonder, said Charlie. What do you wonder? asked Mom. I wonder if you could maybe make a turtle? A pancake turtle! said Mouse.

I could try, said Mom. I have never made a pancake turtle. Ta-dah! said Mom. Turtles! said Mouse. Turtles are the best, said Charlie. Mom is the best! shouted Mouse.

I wonder, said Charlie. What do you wonder? asked Mom. I wonder if you could maybe make a dragon? A pancake dragon! said Mouse. Hmmm, said Mom. I have never made a pancake dragon. Ta-dah! said Mom.

What is THAT! said Mouse. A dragon, said Mom. It does not look like a dragon, said Charlie. No, it does not look like a dragon, said Mouse. It is a dragon, said Mom. It is a dragon that annoyed its mother.

How did it annoy its mother? asked Charlie. It asked for too many pancakes, said Mom. Charlie and Mouse were going shopping. Charlie and Mouse were going shopping with Dad. It was a secret! Shhhhhh! said Charlie. What do you think Mom might like for her birthday? asked Dad.

Flowers? Bubble bath? Yes, said Mouse. Mom would like those. Mom likes smelly things. But they are not the things I want to buy. What do you want to buy? asked Charlie. I am not sure yet, said Mouse.

Will you help me think? Of course! said Charlie. Charlie and Mouse thought. Hmmm. Maybe Mom would like a jewel, said Charlie. Mom likes things that sparkle. That is true, said Mouse.

But we only have two dollars. I think a jewel will cost more than two dollars. Oh, said Charlie. Then maybe Mom would like a special box to keep special secrets in. And we will promise not to peek in it, ever. Mom would like that, said Mouse.

But I am not sure I can make that promise. I like to snoop. That is a good point, said Charlie. I like to snoop, too. Suddenly, Mouse stood up. I know! he said.

I know what Mom would like! What? asked Charlie. Tape! said Mouse. Tape? asked Charlie. Yes, tape, said Mouse. Does Mom like tape? asked Dad. Everyone likes tape, said Mouse.

That is true, said Charlie. Also, tape is a thing Mom can never find when she needs it. That is also true, said Charlie. Tape is a very good idea. You are smart, Mouse. Now you should wrap the present, said Dad, when they got home. I want to wrap the present, said Mouse.