When Charlie McButton Lost Power

By Suzanne Collins, Mike Lester (Illustrator)

A power outage forces a tech-obsessed boy to choose between his games and his sister's happiness.

5.5/7 Bookroo experts·4.2/5 Goodreads · 539 ratings

32 pages· 867 words· Est. 7 min read-aloud

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Bookroo's summary

Charlie McButton's world crashes when a storm cuts the power, leaving him desperate for batteries. The only ones available are in his sister's beloved doll. Will Charlie risk her meltdown for his games, or discover a new kind of fun with her? As he navigates this dilemma, Charlie must decide what truly matters in a world without screens. This humorous tale explores the bonds of family and the unexpected joys beyond technology.

From the publisher

Charlie McButton likes computer games so much, he never plays with anything else. When a thunderstorm knocks out the electricity, his tech empire comes tumbling down, and his whole world loses power. Charlie needs batteries?FAST! But the only triple- A?s he can find are in his little sister?s talking doll. Will he resort to desperate measures and cause his sister to have a meltdown of her own? Or will he snap out of his computer craze long enough to realize his sister might be fun, even if she doesn?t come with batteries? Collins and Lester team up for a hilarious and timely tale that will crack up young computer addicts and those who love them!

At a glance

Format
Pages: 32
Words: 867
Reading age: 4–8
Audience: Picture
Lexile: ~580L

Themes & topics

Books about imagination Books about family Books about technology Books about anger Books about siblings

What readers & critics say

Reviews

5.5

out of 7

2.5

“I can see how this book might be useful for some families when dealing with the issue of finding moderation in technology use for kids, but it was just so incredibly heavy-handed. My kids are too little for screens, so nothing about it was appealing to them, and if kids are old enough for some screen time, I can't imagine this feeling fun or funny or anything other than preachy.”

Lauren Hancock

Trusted reviewer

6.0

“I'm going to commit blasphemy here and say that Suzanne Collins' (of The Hunger Games' fame) rhyming in this book is on par with Dr. Seuss (only with fewer made up words)—it's seriously such a fun read-aloud that trips right off the tongue. Initially, the illustrations weren't my favorite, but after reading it several times, I think they add a delightful pizzazz and sense of chaos that really adds to the story. With the prevalence of technology, the message that relationships can be strengthened and fun had without turning to electronics is lovely.”

Marmee

Trusted reviewer

6.0

“A wonderful book about unplugging and using your imagination and spending time with those you love! :) I didn't love the illustrations at first, but they've really grown on my and I think they, and the rest of this book, are so fun! I especially think all of the wording and rhyme is fantastic.”

B is for Bookworm

Trusted reviewer

7.0

“A true hidden gem. Don't judge this one by its cover.”

Mr. Staccato

Trusted reviewer

For readers who can't stop at one