The Mouse Mansion is a project by Studio Schaapman, and the model of the house was built as a setting for this series of books. The structure of the Mouse Mansion is made from cardboard boxes and papier-mâché. Authentic fabrics from the 1950s, 60s and 70s were used for the interior, along with all kinds of recycled material and bits and bobs. The Mouse Mansion has a front, back and sides, with more than one hundred rooms, corridors and outdoor spaces. Are you inspired to build your own Mouse Mansion? You can watch various videos on our website that explain how to get started. Visit www.themousemansion.com, like the Mouse Mansion page on Facebook and subscribe to the YouTube channel!
First English edition, January 2019 © 2019 Concept & text Studio Schaapman - info@studioschaapman.nl Published by Uitgeverij Rubinstein bv, Prinseneiland 43, 1013 LL Amsterdam Pictures by Ton Bouwer - Graphic design studiozilt.nl www.rubinstein.nl - info@rubinstein.nl
ISBN 9789047621676 All rights reserved
Concept by Karina Schaapman Pictures Ton Bouwer
Sam and Julia 7 The secret hiding place 9 The ragman 11 Pancakes 15 The musician 18 Surprise! 22 Little Sophie’s birthday 26 Hoisting time 31 Laundry 32 Uncle John can do anything 37 Chicken pox 40 The bakery 43 Grandpa the sailor 47 The shop that sells everything 50 Friday night dinner 52 A rat on the staircases 57 Bedtime 58
Here are Sam and Julia. Shall we say hello? Hello, Sam. Hello, Julia. Sam and Julia live in the Mouse Mansion, and they are best friends. Julia lives on the top floor in a little apartment with her mum. Her mum says that Julia is too curious for such a little mouse but Julia just says that she likes big adventures. And Sam, Julia’s best friend, lives right in the very middle of the Mouse Mansion. He has a big family. He has a mum, a dad, lots of brothers and sisters, two grandpas and two grandmas, two aunts and an uncle. Sam is a little bit shy but Julia looks after him. They have lots of fun together. Most of all, Sam and Julia like exploring. Let’s see what adventures they find in the Mouse Mansion.
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But what’s that? Hhmmmm. There’s a delicious smell in the Mouse Mansion and Sam and Julia know exactly what it is. Sam’s grandma is making pancakes! They both rush up to the apartment as fast as they can. Sam’s Grandma tosses a pancake up in the air and it flips up and over and then lands back in the pan. Perfect! “They look delicious,” says Julia. But just then the phone rings. “I won’t be a minute,” Grandma says as she hurries away. “Can you watch the pan?” Sam and Julia start to laugh and chat, and then they remember to look at the pan. Suddenly there’s smoke everywhere! “Uh-oh,” says Sam. “Don’t worry,” says Julia, “this is easy–peasy.” And she picks up the pan and tosses the pancake up in the air, just like Grandma. 15
Suddenly Julia stops to think. Maybe Sam is at home? So she rushes straight there and, of course, there he is. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere!” says Julia. “Can you come and play?” “No, I can’t,” says Sam excitedly, “because look who arrived last night - two new baby brothers and a baby sister!” “Oh, triplets!” cries Julia. “Aren’t they cute?” The new babies are tiny and very, very sweet. “I would love a little brother or sister,” says Julia. “Well,” says Sam. “They are cute but they cry all the time and they poop a lot.” “Right Sam, you can help change their diapers!” says his mum. Sam looks so miserable that Julia bursts out laughing! In the end, they all help change the diapers and then Sam and Julia go out to play. 22
At long last! Hoisting time is over! But before Sam and Julia can go and explore, there are mouse errands to do. Sam always helps his mum with the washing and today Julia is helping, too. Sam fills the washing machine with clothes and it’s Julia’s job to put the washing detergent in. Except that Julia doesn’t really know how much soap is needed. “I’ll just put in the whole box,” she thinks to herself, “just to be on the safe side.” Sam presses the On button and they watch the clothes go round and round. All of a sudden, the machine starts banging. Very loudly. “Uh-oh,” says Julia, “what’s happening?” “I don’t know.” Sam says and looks worried. ”It shouldn’t be making that noise. I’ll go and ask my mum.“ And off he runs.
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Best friends Sam and Julia live in the Mouse Mansion. When they’re together they find all sorts of adventures - and all kinds of trouble! Come along as they discover a secret hiding place, greet the ragman, and learn to make pancakes. There is a shop that sells everything and a box full of treasures. And – oh no! – there might even be a rat. The Mouse Mansion is full of surprises. Won’t you come inside and explore?