When Charlie McButton Lost Power

When Charlie McButton Lost Power by Suzanne Collins
Illustrated by Mike Lester
2007

     Charlie McButton loved computer games and things that involved handsets and bots.  When the power went out during a thunderstorm, Charlie McButton freaked out.  What was he supposed to do?  His mom told him he should find something without a plug to play. Maybe he could read, sing or play with clay.  No way.  So he found and old handheld game console but when he tried to turn it on it didn't have batteries.  He looked for batteries everywhere and then he saw his sister walking around with her doll, a talking doll.  Knowing that the doll had to use batteries to talk, Charlie pounced on it, ripped it out of his sister's hands and made her scream.  He ended up in a time out and from his chair he yelled at his sister so loud that:

Her eyes filled with tears and she gave them a rub.

She went to the bathroom and hid in the tub.

Then Charlie McButton felt totally rotten

And couldn't help thinking some things he'd forgotten

     Charlie thought about all the good times he'd had with his little sister and went looking for her to make her happy.  They played together all afternoon, building forts, playing hide-and-go-seek, and pretending to be wizards and trolls. By the time the power came back, Charlie thought about being able to turn on his computer again...but then again, he might also find dragons with his little sister instead.
     When Charlie McButton Lost Power is written in rhyme.  The story is very entertaining and relatable for most kids. The rhymes flow with ease and humor.  The illustrations capture the characters well.

PS: Suzanne Collins as in the author of Hunger Games and Gregor the Overlander.