The Dark at the Top of the Stairs [Hardcover]

Sam McBratney (Author), Ivan Bates (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 7, 1996 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Three young mice, determined to find out if there truly is a monster living at the top of the cellar stairs, recruit one of their elders for guidance and go on an adventure to discover who, or what, really lives up there.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

As in his Guess How Much I Love You, McBratney spins an ample, emotionally ripe tale out of a familiar, even slight premise. A wise old mouse lives with his three young mice in the corner of a cellar, and at bedtime he asks them what they'd like to do the next day. One night, all three clamor to see "the dark at the top of the stairs" where the "monster" lives, and the old mouse, who knows that "sooner or later all young mice will try to see the dark at the top of the stairs," agrees to take them. Perfectly capturing the edgy glee and derring-do of a trip to dangerous territory, McBratney builds the suspense with each well-chosen word. When the four finally reach the door at the top of the stairs, a glimpse of the shadow of a seemingly gigantic cat sends them scurrying ("bumpety-bump and slippity-slide and tumble-thump") back down the staircase, "where they landed in a wriggle and a heap before making a dash for warm, safe, wonderful home." In his picture book debut, Bates provides endearing depictions of these (at least temporarily) bold mice; his compositions and mouse's-eye perspectives create enticingly eerie shadows and angles. Rendered on textured surfaces, his crayon-pencil art at times has the feel of needlepoint, sweetly balancing the shivers in this tale. Ages 4-7.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2?McBratney follows up his cozy, warm Guess How Much I Love You (Candlewick, 1995) with a real change of mood. Though their wise old mentor tries to entice them outdoors to play, three young mice insist on seeing what lives behind the dark at the top of the stairs. Its single word?"MEOW"?sends them "bumpety-bump and slippity-slide and tumble-thump" all the way back down. Bates gives readers a mouse's-eye view of the adventure: topped by a towering door, the huge stairs loom above a shadowed, cobwebby, cluttered cellar lit in dim, ominous blues and grays. Like Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury's We're Going on a Bear Hunt (McElderry, 1989), this book invites youngsters to venture out into the unknown, offering the reassurance of a haven at the end, and the exhilaration of a mad scramble to get there.?John Peters, New York Public Library
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (March 7, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 156402640X
• ISBN-13: 978-1564026408
• Product Dimensions: 11.9 x 8.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #968,493 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Sam McBratney is the author of the acclaimed picture book Guess How Much I Love You. Sam's distinctive storytelling voice builds on his rich storytelling tradition as a teacher, parent, and grandparent. He lives in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Dark at the Top of the Stairs, November 14, 2011

By 

Dee - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (Hardcover)

I love this story. I am a teacher and this particular book lends itself to teaching various reading skills. I purchased a used copy and it was in better condition than I expected. Priced appropriately!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars It's okay, but there's not much to it., July 8, 2008

By 

Ulyyf "Connie" (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dark At The Top of the Stairs (Paperback)

This is a story about three mice who ask their grandfather to bring them to the dark of the stairs, where they meet a cat and are scared out of their wits.

It's not a bad story, it's just not a great one. Given that the book is oversized (read: hard to shelve), you may be better off just skipping this one.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Dark at the Top of the Stairs, March 11, 2003

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (Hardcover)

I give this book four stars, only because I wish it was longer! It was a very good story, and would have been better if they went into more detail. The story is about some curious mice who want to go the top of the stairs, to the dark, to see the monster who lives up there. It's really cute to see what and who the monster ends up being. This story is very fun for children to read, and the illustrations make you feel part of the story, like you are traveling up the stairs with them. Exeperience the suspense, as you travel with the mice to see the huge, terrifying monster that has been talked about their whole lives!