Charlie and Mouse are going on a camping trip with their parents. On the car ride there and at the campsite, the brothers flex their imaginative skills to keep them occupied and entertained.

This is the fourth book in a series that can really be read in any order. While typically I've loved the whimsy of the Charlie and Mouse books, this one just didn't strike me quite the same. I still enjoyed it, but it wasn't as good as the previous titles. That being said, one thing I did love about this book though was how much imagination plays a clear role. The brothers engage in all kinds of storytelling and pretend play, with a nary a plastic toy in sight. The family is also shown to be loving and engaged with each other in the present moment, not distantly scrolling through content on digital screens while only absent-mindedly paying attention to one another.

The illustrations are in the same style as previous books -- a bit whimsical to match the tone of the text but somewhat realistic as well. The book is a good bridge for beginning readers who are beyond simple three-word declarative sentence type early readers but not ready for thick tomes that have more than a handful of short chapters. ( )

Charlie and mouse and they take long drives, quick hike, defeat a big lion, and hide in a small tent, and conquer the great outdoors ( )

Charlie and Mouse and their parents go camping. When they complain that the car ride is boring, Dad suggests that Charlie make up a story. When they arrive, they go hiking and "defend the land" from danger (bad guys, monsters, a lion) with sticks. Back in the tent, they think about things that are not scary - like kittens! - and then their imagined kittens get "the zoomies." At last, it's time for a campfire and roasting marshmallows.

Boring
The Hike
Kittens
The Fire ( )