The Nighttime Dishes

THE NIGHTTIME DISHES is a 600-word rhyming picture book about a child, Charlie, who wants to find out how their kitchen gets so messy every night after he goes to bed. He has noticed his mother’s frustration each morning as she cleans the fresh messes. He decides to sneak downstairs and hide in the pantry to find out who or what is responsible. While waiting on his discovery, he imagines different fantastical scenarios, including the food coming to life and having a party as well as a raccoon letting itself in the backdoor with a key it has stored under the welcome mat. He is startled by a noise and realizes that he knows the culprit: his teenage brother. His brother explains that he too will one day be a hungry teenager who forages for food at night. His brother welcomes him into the nighttime ritual, and they share a plate of chicken cordon bleu. His brother agrees to help clean the kitchen with Charlie, but then abruptly hurries back to his bedroom to continue playing video games; leaving Charlie to clean up the mess. At the end of the story, Charlie reflects on the memorable night. He says it took him years to feel the teenage hunger pangs, but whenever he finds himself searching for a late-night snack, he fondly remembers that night with his brother.