The Dark At The Top Of The Stairs

by Sam McBratney, Ivan Bates (Illustrator)

Is it true that a monster lives at the top of the stairs? Three young mice decide they must see for themselves and ask a wise old mouse to take them there. He warns them of the danger--yet they still insist on going. So, step by step, the mice climb the creaky stairs, growing ever closer to the dark shadows--until they are whisker to whisker with the creature who lives at the top of the stairs! Full color.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens, Halloween

32 pages, Paperback

First published March 7, 1996

About the author

The 1943 born Northern Ireland native started writing children's books when he was a teacher in his thirties, with the aim of helping out students who had trouble reading. But he continued writing for a more-personal reason: "the act of imagining simply makes me feel good," he says. The fifty-seventh book of Sam McBratney's career, and his first book with Candlewick Press, was the much-loved GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU, which has sold an astonishing 15 million copies worldwide, and is available in 37 languages. "This is not the sort of thing you expect when most of your books have been remaindered," the author admits. "But, as the frog trapped in the milk discovered, if you keep going, sometimes you find yourself walking on cream cheese."

Where does Sam McBratney get his inspiration? "I told my children stories when they were young," he says, "so when I write I try to think of what they would have liked." But there may be another source guiding his writing as well. The author's father--who worked as a type compositor with the BELFAST TELEGRAPH, and whose favorite books were westerns--is the person Sam McBratney credits for giving him his love of the English language. "Most of my picture books--GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU, THE DARK AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS, JUST ONE!, and JUST YOU AND ME--explore the relationship between a big one and a wee one," the author notes. "The big one is not called the father in the stories, but that's what he is. Although my dad died before I became a writer, the father in my stories has a voice and a presence that he would have recognized and understood."

In addition to authoring many books for children, Sam McBratney wrote radio plays for adults and a prize-winning collection of short stories. He received a degree in history and political science from Trinity College, Dublin, and worked for many years as a teacher.

Reviews

[Miranda Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

"After seven steps, they stopped once more. There was excitement in their eyes...for they were closer now than they had ever been to the dark at the top of the stairs."

Cob, Hazel and little Berry-Berry are little mice who have always lived in their cozy basement with the wise old mouse.

They felt safe with the cobwebs, the dark, and the occasional walk in the garden or visit to the cornfield.

However, the three young mice were often curious about what was at the top of the stairs and so one day, they decide to be brave:

"I would like too see the dark at the top of the stairs."

After a bit of hemming and hawing, the old mouse decides to acquiesce to the young mice's request.

Step by step they creeeeeeep up the stairs. Hearts thudding. Whiskers trembling. And then they push open the door to see...(dramatic pause and you will have to read the book yourself to see the monster!)

Wow! What a fabulously spooky (but not terrifying) book!

I thought this was a great level of scariness - the perspective of the mice, the tension from climbing the stairs and the grand reveal at the end!

Also, not going to lie, I felt my heart quicken as I read this one aloud. The author did an amazing job with the wording and the color palette and drawings for this story.

One nice thing is that this one shouldn't linger too much in the little ones' heads.

It can all be easily explained by the relationship between mice and cats and doesn't leave the kids with thoughts of monsters, ghosts or other ghouls.

All in all, if you are looking for an amazingly spooky picture book for kiddos - this one is perfect!

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some young mice are convinced that there is a monster living at the top of the stairs. What happens when they finally work up the courage to climb the steps is pretty cute.

The illustrations by Ivan Bates are just lovely, and very atmospheric.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely little book, kind of a monster book, but easier on little readers because it is from mice's perspective, so what is scary to them is not necessarily scary to humans. Very short and efficient, but the buildup is still very atmospheric and memorable, and a good counterpoint to the quick conclusion.

Update: Six weeks after my five year old and I read this and we got out a cat book - now she is scared of cats. Hmm, I guess this story isn't as mild as I thought!

[Zackery Busse · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Dark at The top of The Stairs has many wonderful full bleed one page and two page spreads. The color scheme contains mostly dark colors with the exception of one page that contains bright colors. Throughout the story the mice are building their way up to the dark at the top of the stairs so everything is shadowy and mysterious, but once they reach the top of the stairs and venture further, the darkess dissipates and bright colors emerge. The point of view of the illustrations for almost oall of the book is from below to give the reader a sense of what it must look like to be a small mouse. Except for when they reach the stairs, the point of view swithces to up above the action to show how high the little mice are and what great feat they had just accomplished. I also noticed that as the story progressed the text inserted in the images switched from the left side of the page to the right side of the page at the end giving the reader a sense of motion in the story.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this dramatically. The kids will love it.

The art fits the tempo of the story.

[Vanessa Arredondo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been one of my favorite children books that I have read so far. One every page there is a different color that stands out from the rest. The color blue was the one seen more throughout the book. It is in a horizontal position which makes better since the illustrations cover the entire page. The point of view is from a worm’s eye view since the mice are looking up at the door. The texture made me want to touch the pages. This book did not have any border and the text it’s mostly on the top left side of the page on the left, depending on where the illustration is placed. Sometimes the mice are on the right, left, and middle of page which create a different meaning of what’s going on.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four young mice are quite curious to know what's at the top of the creaky old staircase. The wise old mouse tells them they are better off not knowing, but they will not be put off. So the wise mouse tells them they are welcome to investigate. So the next morning after breakfast all four mice start for the top of the stairs. After surviving all of the creaks and groans put off by the stairs, they finally make it to the top...only to discover that there is a cat at the top of the stairs!

[Guadalupe Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is a great book to assess students in reading comprehension as students can make a lot of predictions, for example they can make predictions about "what is in the dark?" There are also a lot of opportunities for questioning. The book also teaches children to listen to their parents or guardian.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This picture book has a good storyline and plot--not
absolutely fantastic.

The illustrations are quite nice and very appropriate--
actually I would say they are quite beautiful in a way.

This would be quite a nice story book for most children
and not too scary except maybe for very young children.

[Darlene Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another for the PCH -- they loved it! Enjoyed the illustrations -- a perfect little Hallowe'en story -- we then talked about the mice at the farms where they used to live -- laughed together of scary and funny stories from their years passed. Worked out well!

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 5 out of 5]

What really makes this story are the wonderful illustrations of Ivan Bates, who gives readers a mouse's eye view of the cellar and those tall, dark stairs. Sometimes curiosity just has to be satisfied. Cute!

[Kitty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful book! Simply written with a wonderful message, but the real winning feature of this book is the illustrations. They are absolutely captivating, dark, with stunning shading yet kid-friendly with the adorable features of the mice. Highly recommend for all ages!

[Stacia Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written very well with fun, descriptive language paired with brilliant illustrations. Really set a mood. What's up there? The ending was quite satisfying and looped around nicely.

Highly recommend.

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute story about a family of mice that live in the basement. When the children get up their courage, they climb the stairs only to find a cat lives up there. They aren't interested in going up there again.

[Morgan Pyles · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun book! The illustrations fit perfectly with the mysterious and suspenseful story line. The plot twist came in the middle and it was a twist that lightens up the story. I found this book great for children of preschool age.

[Stacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrifying!!! How could the same mind that wrote Guess How Much I Love You come up with such a scary-thrilling book. Oh how I wish I had tormented my own children with this one!! I know just how I would have read it to make Ryan and Jack hide their little faces in the crook of my arm!! Whaahaahaa!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

So suspenseful! Would work with cat/mouse, monster, or maybe even nighttime storytimes

[Betsy Kimes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The illustrations are brilliant including looking up a staircase from a mouse's perspective. Has anticipation. Another fun book to read with animation to my kids.

[Christen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great spooky story that forgoes the supernatural. Also a gentle lesson about risk taking and testing boundaries.

[Noema · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time I read this, I think it must be a metaphor for something about adult life. What, I have no idea.

[Andrea Renfrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a delightful bedtime story about being grateful for our routines. Kiddo likes Berry-Berry best.

[KaitandMaddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute. Meow.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

A suspense book, more than a mystery, but there IS something at the top of the stairs. Interestingly, although the reader will know, the mice in the story and the story itself, do not say outright what is at the top of the stairs that greets them, and interestingly enough, in the light rather than the dark. Illustrations by Ivan Bates, whose cute mice climbing the spooky stairs in the dark gives the right kind of atmosphere to the story. Language though a little hard for beginners so will need a parent to read to them, and maybe hold one’s hand in the ‘dark’.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clever "scary" book for little ones. The art's a bit hard to decipher because of such dark tones. Overall, it's fun.

[Diana Salazar · Rating 5 out of 5]

A masterpiece

[Analissa Cox · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Dark At the Top of the Stairs was a funny book about four mice, one old and three young, who were curious about a darkness that lingered at the top of the stairs in the attic where they live. The older mouse took the three younger mice to the top after they begged him to take them. When they reached the top they run into a cat who they believe is a monster and never want to return again. So in the story curiosity did not kill the cat, but the cat frightened curiosity! The images in this story take many different angles to engage the readers into the suspenseful plot about the four adventurous mice.

[Hayley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author: Sam McBratney
Illustrator: Ivan Bates
Genre: Mystery
Grade Level: 4.2
Lexile: 650L

Summary: In this mystery, three young mice want to find out if there is a monster living at the top of the cellar stairs. They ask an older and wiser mouse for advice and he warns them of danger. They decide to go any way and find adventures along the way. This is a little bit of a scary story. Might be a good Halloween/adventure story. I want to read holiday books to my class...this would be a good one.

[The Brothers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some little mice are determined to see the monster and the dark at the top of the stairs in the cellar that they live in, despite their grandfather suggesting another way to spend the day. They are properly terrified by the cat "monster" and return to other, safer activities after their adventure.

Illustrations are okay.

[Danae · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was interesting mostly due to it's illustrations. The images of the stairs made you feel as if you were climbing them. The illustrator did a wonderful job representing the eerieness of the journey.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three little mice want to see the what's in the dark at the top of the stairs. After a narrow escape from the "monster" at the top (a cat), they no longer wish to venture into dangerous territory, and decide to stick to safe!