Javier Salazar Calle
The Adventures of Alex and Alvaro

The adventures of

Alex and Alvaro

By

Javier Salazar Calle

The Adventures of Alex and Alvaro

By: Javier Salazar Calle

Illustrations: Marta Fernandez Garcia

Cover design: Marta Fernandez Garcia, 2020

Original title: The adventures of Alex and Alvaro

Translator: Gastón Jofre Torres

Copyright texts: Javier Salazar Calle, 2020

Copyright Illustrations: Marta Fernandez Garcia, 2020

1st Edition

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All rights reserved. Total or partial reproduction of this document by any electronic or mechanical procedure, including photocopying, magnetic and optical recording or any information storage system or retrieval system without the permission of the copyright owners, is totally prohibited.

These stories are for those children who still value the pleasure of a good story. Above all, my two sons, Alex and Alvaro, and their cousins, Natalia, Pilar, Guillermo, Gonzalo and David, who we hope will especially enjoy these stories.

I would like to thank those whose comments have helped improve this book: Elena Caro, Helena and Pilar Salazar, Jose Manuel Saiz de Omeñaca, Rocío Crespo and Carolina Bravo.

The origin of these stories

When our son Alex was in kindergarten, one day he was assigned an activity in which we had to help him build a homemade toy. We immediately thought about making a spaceship. Using an empty plastic milk bottle as a frame, two rolls of toilet paper for the engines and cellophane, we finally created that unique and magical toy.

To make it even nicer, we covered the bottle lid and the engines with aluminum foil. We painted flames on the underside of the engines and glued a couple of astronauts on the outside. Also, we made a door that opened and closed and a round window so that the toy figures could peek out.

At that moment I thought it was a good starting point for a story. I wrote down notes on some ideas and stored them away until, when our son started reading, I saw that it was a great opportunity to write something that I could use in his learning process. Something which would be useful and funny at the same time.

And here are those stories. Written by me and drawn by Marta, a friend.

Enjoy them with your children!

Building the spaceship

Once upon a time there was a country house whose owners rarely went there because they were very busy in the city. This allowed the inhabitants of the house (mice, bats, insects, spiders…) to live in absolute freedom for most of the year, doing what they wanted. Alex and Alvaro were two mice brothers who lived in the kitchen pantry. The other mice could see them through the hole in the wall, which was the door to their home. Almost all mice are very fearful, but Alex and Alvaro were brave and adventurous. They were very curious about everything and were always together, making plans and having fun.

Their father, Javier, spent every day worrying about them a lot; not knowing where they were and thinking if they'd gotten into trouble. Sometimes they'd jump on the cushions in the living room of the humans' house, other times they'd swim in the bathroom sink, and they were even seen climbing a mountain of books once. Their mother, Elena, said nothing; but you could see in her eyes how proud she was to have such adventurous children. She'd been an adventurous mouse herself when she was young.

When Alex and Alvaro had already gone through the whole house several times and knew it by heart, they began to imagine new ways to travel much further away. They looked at magazines and books until Alvaro came up with a great idea:

– Why don't we build a spaceship? – He asked.

– I think that's a great idea! – Alex replied.

Making a spaceship is easier than it sounds if you use your imagination. Alex and Alvaro took an empty plastic milk bottle to build the ship and used two rolls of toilet paper for the engines. Since they had to enter the ship, they made a large door so that any mouse could fit through it, no matter how fat he might be. They also decided to make a window, so they could watch their surroundings as they flew.

– We have to give it a name! – Alex exclaimed.

– How about if we call it…? Adventure? – Alvaro replied.

Everyone agreed that Adventure was a perfect name.

Now you have to write the name on the ship, don't write outside the lines!

When they finished building the ship, they admired it in excitement. It turned out really beautiful and it would take them on adventures. They were very happy and eager to go on the first trip!

Daddy Javier, on the other hand, sighed as he thought about what new problems his two sons would get into now that they could travel wherever they wanted. But there was nothing he could do to avoid it; he'd had two adventurous little mice.

Soon, their new adventures would begin, but first, would you help them copy and paint the ship? You can do it as you like.

Trip to the Moon

One morning, Alex and Alvaro got up and they wanted to use their new ship. Where could they go? They looked at each other and shouted simultaneously:

– To the moon!

Since they didn't know what they might need, Alex decided to look for some rope while Alvaro went looking for a piece of cheese for the trip. Daddy Javier had told them that the Moon was a giant round ball made of cheese, but they figured they ought to go prepared. Just in case.

When they put everything on the ship, they gave a very strong kiss to their mother and got ready to fly. Mother Elena counted down:

– 3… 2… 1… Liftoff!

The ship began to rise into the air and streaked off to the Moon.

It didn't take them long to get there. Alex, who was the bravest of the two, was the first to get off the ship. He jumped out the door and surprise! The jump was gigantic. He tried again and went up high.

– Alvaro! You are much lighter on the moon! – he shouted.

Alvaro, who looked at him in amazement, got off the ship too. As he was the greediest of the two, the first thing he did was to pick up a piece of moon cheese and taste it. He felt very happy.

– Alex! – he exclaimed −, the Moon really is made of cheese, just like they told us. It's a very strange cheese, but it's delicious.

That's why it seems that the moon is full of holes: someone ate some pieces off of it.

They both took a piece of the ground and ate it while they played, trying to outperform each other's stunts and pirouettes, taking advantage of the fact that they were so light. They spun around, bounced and jumped non-stop until their legs felt sore.

At the end of the day, they sat down for a while to watch the Earth, which was so blue from afar, surrounded by the starry sky. It was gorgeous.

Alex began to draw it on a piece of paper. Can you help him color it?

Before coming back home, they packed the ship full of moon cheese. They wanted to share it with their family and friends. All of them would want to go with them to the Moon now that they knew they could eat it. Then they got on the spaceship and started on their way back. They had so many things to tell their mother!

Once on Earth they organized a moon cheese party. Elena and Javier, their parents, made a big poster with their names on it. All the mice from the house came, as well as some from nearby houses. Everyone came, even their cousins. Pilar, Guille, Gonzalo and David were excited to be able to try a piece of Moon and listen to the adventures Alex and Alvaro went through to get it.

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