Mickey Thompson and Purvis are two mice. They are friends with a man called Howard and with an elephant called Ortrud. As you can see, we just met a strange group of friends... Don’t you agree with me? Who could have guessed that two mice can be friends with a man and, especially, an elephant? Not me, that’s for sure!
Howard’s evil boss, Mr. Bullerton, prepares a Big Show at work to celebrate Christmas. He wants Howard to sing! Imagine that!
Howard is scared and he doesn’t know what to do... He can’t go in front of so many people and sing! His singing is worse than awful, that’s for sure! Guess what happens next... Yes, my dear readers, it looks like Mickey Thompson and Purvis must be in action!
Before continuing, let’s present those two cheeky mice... Mickey Thompson has brown fur and he is, well, fat. He loves eating... anything! Purvis has white fur and he is, well, thin! Let’s just say that he is intelligent and knows what to do, much better than Mickey Thompson...
Believe it or not, but they can talk to a... trolley! No, seriously, I’m telling the truth! They wander around with a trolley that, yes, can talk! You know that trolleys are meant to be useful, right? Well, it looks like the two mice and the trolley might have some problems with, um, going ANYWHERE! Convince yourself, entering the story, seeing with your own eyes the scene and hearing with your own ears the shouts, the shrieks, the bangs, the crashes and so on...
“CLATTER! EEEEP! CLACK! YIKES! CRACK, CLACK! OHHHHHHHHHHHHH! AAAAGGHH! EEEEEEEEEE! WHA-OOOO!”
The result of all these? Some sick mice and a crazy trolley!
“When’s the next stop, please?” asked Purvis. “FIVE TWO FIVE TWO FIVE TWO FIVE TWO FIVE!” shouted the trolley. Purvis went back in. “It’s no good.” he said. “He’s gone bonkers!” “I’M ON FIRE!” yelled the trolley. “WHAT?!” shrieked Mickey Thompson. “Oh, shoosh.” said Purvis. “It’s just a figure of speech.” “I think I’m going to be sick.” said Mickey Thompson. “DON’T YOU BE SICK IN ME!” shouted the trolley, crashing through some swing doors.”
Purvis and Mickey Thompson meet the Christmas tree fairy. Everyone has to be in high spirits during Christmas, right? Well, it looks like the fairy is too... angry. (“What are you doing on my tree?” replied the girl. “We’re stuck.” said Purvis. “Can you help?” “Have you got permission to be on here?” said the girl. “Err, no.” said Purvis. “But we weren’t expecting...” “You’re not allowed on here without permission.” said the girl. “It’s against the rules.” “Says who?” said Mickey Thompson. “Says me.” said the girl, tapping a cardboard badge on the front of her dress. It had the words “in charge” written on it in green crayon. “You made that badge yourself.” said Mickey Thompson. “No, I didn’t.” said the girl, pushing. “Don’t push.” said Mickey Thompson, pushing back. The tree started shaking. “So what should we do?” Purvis asked the girl, quickly. “Get off!” said the girl. “We can’t. We’re all caught up.” said Purvis. He wriggled to demonstrate and the tree lurched suddenly sideways. “Oh, I’m going to be sick, I’m going to be sick!” groaned Mickey Thompson. “Not on here you don’t.” said the girl, grabbing him. “It’s against the rules.” “Can we have a look at these rules?” asked Purvis. “No!” said the girl. “It’s against -.”)
Seriously, all this conversation is stupid and the fairy is too “against-the-rules”... Don’t you think?
And it’s not only that: Uncle Gillian is visiting Mickey Thompson and Purvis! And you might think: is anyone going to help Howard with the “singing-problem”, FOR GODNESS SAKE? Yes, don’t worry about that!
Howard is completely stressed and Uncle Gillian... Well, Uncle Gillian doesn’t like the state of Howard, if I can say this... (“You’re burbling.” said Uncle Gillian, whacking at Howard’s shoe. “Pull yourself together.” “Yes, isn’t it about time you were going home?” said Howard, through gritted teeth. “We wouldn’t want you to outstay your welcome, would we?”)
The Christmas tree fairy offers to help Mickey Thompson and Purvis. She makes a spell. (“Hypothetically speaking, I’d fly around his head fifteen to twenty times waving the wand and shouting SING WELL, SING WELL, or something along those lines.”) After the spell, Howard is completely changed. He no longer likes tea and he absolutely-positively can’t wait for the Big Show! (“WAY-HAY!” cheered Howard. “I love performing.” “But Howard...” said Purvis. “Why are you looking so serious?” said Howard, leaping up and doing a little tap dance. “It’s never too late to celebrate, you know!” Purvis and Mickey Thompson exchanged glances. “GONE BONKERS.” mouthed Mickey Thompson.”)
You might say: hey, it looks like Howard is going to be awesome at the Big Show, now that he wants to sing! Another happy ending! Hurrah! Well, my dear readers, I am afraid I have to tell that... you are WRONG! When Howard hears the song he has to sing, he is horrified! (“I love pretty buttercups.” read out Howard. “And I love fluffy bunnikins.” read out Howard. “But best of all I love Mr. Buller... I AM NOT SINGING THIS!” shouted Howard. “IT DOESN’T EVEN RHYME!” “But Howard -.” said Purvis. “I am an ARTIST.” shouted Howard.”)
At the Big Show, Mr. Bullerton says: “Err, Ladies and Gentlemen. Unfortunately it would appear that Howard Armitage cannot be with us tonight.” The audience made surprised-and-disappointed noises. “However.” said Mr. Bullerton. “I’m determined that you hear the words of the song so I’m going to read them out to you, and very memorable I think you’ll find them. Ah-hem.” He cleared his throat and took a piece of paper out of his pocket.”)
A little note: In the story, Mr. Bullerton says that Howard himself wrote the song for the Big Show. Believe it or not, but it’s a lie! Mr. Bullerton wrote the song. What a liar, huh?
In the meantime, the mice, the elephant and Howard’s dog, Allen, don’t know what to do. The Big Show is going to be a complete mess! They ruined it because of the wrong spell! Howard wants to sing “Great Balls of Fire”. (“But most of all...” continued Mr. Bullerton. “I love... HOWARD ARMITAGE!” he roared, as Howard staggered on the stage, trailing tinsel. The audience gasped. “Give it to me.” said Howard, grabbing the microphone. “Give it to ME!” shouted Mr. Bullerton, grabbing it back. “GOODNESS GRACIOUS!” whooped Howard. “GREAT BALLS OF FIRE!” “Oh, no.” said Uncle Gillian. “Somebody make him stop.” Purvis pressed the red button and the fire alarm went off.”)
What a mess, don’t you think? Anyway, I just simply LOVED the story! Why? Because it’s brilliantly funny, that’s why! You have to read the book, that’s for sure! I recommend it to everyone, especially to those who love mice, like Mickey Thompson and Purvis. :)
Let’s not forget that the story has A LOT of jokes! Mickey Thompson and Purvis are making a Tree Girl Two (read the story to find out why)... (“But she didn’t have a smiley face.” said Mickey Thompson.
“It was cross.” “We’ll stick it on upside down then.” said Purvis.”)
The mice (including Uncle Gillian, too), the elephant, the dog and Howard love tea. During the story, you will find for a lot of times images with kettles, saying: “Can somebody put the kettle on?”; “Stick the kettle on.”; “Cup of tea?” etc. I also like the ending: “ALL ABOARD, FIFTY TWO?” said the trolley. “All aboard!” said Purvis. “Then let’s get out of here, FAST!” said the trolley, and with an enormous CLATTER they did.”
I’m outta here, too... and I am aboard on a crazy trolley!!! HELP!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRGGHH!!!
Comments
Post a Comment