Commander in Cheese #1: The Big Move

by Lindsey Leavitt, AG Ford (Illustrator)

Overview

Imagine The Borrowers in the White House! This fun new chapter book series follows a family of mice as a new president moves into their home! 
 
If you are a mouse, then you might know about Ava and Dean Squeakerton. They are kind of famous, for mice. That’s because Ava and Dean and the rest of their family live in the White House.
 
A new president is moving into the White House, and best of all she has kids! That means cool kid treasures for Ava and Dean Squeakerton. Maybe they’ll even find a Lego! There’s only one problem. . . . Sneaking around means Ava and Dean will each have to be as quiet as a . . . mouse. And the Squeakerton siblings aren’t so good at that. But moving day is so busy, nobody would notice two mice searching for toys . . . right?
 
This new series is sure to thrill readers who love tiny details and big fun. Bonus back matter is filled with tons of cool facts about presidents, the White House, and U.S. history. Kids learning about the election will gobble up these adventures!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781101931141
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	05/31/2016
Series:	Commander in Cheese: A Stepping Stone Book (TM) , #1
Sold by:	Random House
Format:	eBook
Pages:	112
File size:	27 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	7 - 10 Years

About the Author

Lindsey Leavitt is fine with mice, but don’t even mention the R-A-T word around her. Her favorite president is Theodore Roosevelt, mostly because of that mustache. She lives in the mountains with her family. Visit her online at lindseyleavitt.com.
 
A. G. Ford is a New York Times bestselling children’s book illustrator and recipient of two NAACP Image Awards. He grew up in Dallas with his mom, his dad, two sisters, and one brother. He majored in illustration at the Columbus College of Art and Design. He lives with his family in Frisco, Texas. Visit him online at agfordillustration.com.

Editorial Reviews

"This accessible chapter book features large print, a well-paced story, and appealing black-and-white drawings that strike a cheerful tone overall. While this down-to-earth adventure has a twenty-first-century setting, the information in the back matter stretches back to 1789 with portraits of the presidents, a few glimpses of presidential history, and descriptions of inauguration days as well as White House moving days. An easygoing combination of fiction, fact, and fun." —Booklist

From the Publisher

05/01/2016
Gr 1–3—Ava and Dean Squeakerton are hidden residents of the White House. They, along with their numerous mouse family members, dwell secretly in the walls and attic of the presidential home, unbeknownst to the human occupants. The series opener takes place on a very important day: the inauguration of a new president. The small rodents are excited because this means new people with new belongings will be taking up residence below. They are always searching for artifacts for their Treasure Room, especially the most coveted of all things, "The Lego." They are sure the new president's son will have these awesome trinkets. Problem is, Ava and Dean take off exploring before the movers have even unpacked any boxes and find themselves in a bit of an awkward and dangerous situation. The human children, and their pet cat, see the little mice, and chaos ensues. The black-and-white illustrations are simple yet not without some charm, adding to the appeal for new readers. The borrowing tendencies of these young mice and their ancestors bring to mind John Peterson's "The Littles" series, though the writing here is not as polished or as clever as that of Peterson. VERDICT A simply told selection that may interest emerging readers who enjoy animal tales or are interested in the American presidency; an additional purchase for larger chapter book collections.—Carol Hirsche, Barnett Elementary, Payson, UT

School Library Journal

2016-03-16
An all-too-close encounter with the new president's children and their "c-a-t" nearly spells disaster for two White House mice in this history-laced series opener. Inauguration Day hoopla would seem to provide a perfect opportunity for furry sibs Ava and Dean Squeakerton to root through the newest first family's unpacked moving boxes in hopes of adding a souvenir Lego to the hoard of presidential memorabilia gathered by the teeming Squeakerton clan over 60 (mouse) generations. But when their mom's swearing-in doesn't keep first kids Banks and Macey away long enough for Ava and Dean to make their escape—and worse, the presidential "c-a-t" (mice never say the fearful word) makes an appearance—the resultant scurry sets off a potentially deadly Code Brown. Perhaps noticing the clothes with which Ford dresses his mice in the frequent floor-level black-and-white scenes, Banks and Macey glibly deflect the Secret Service so that the mice can slip away with their lives and also with two prizes: a Lego, yes, but also a coin battery that has long been sought to power a minicamera once owned by Sasha Obama. Leavitt adds plenty of historical flavor with references to White House locations and past residents and closes with photos and more facts plus a presidential portrait gallery. Volume 2, Oval Office Escape, publishes simultaneously. A frisky adventure not at all weighed down by the timely doses of local history folded in. (Fiction. 7-9)

Kirkus Reviews