Ernie believes he can turn invisible if he runs fast enough.There is no evidence for this. There is, however, a very visible cat running away, which rather spoils the theory. You have to admire his commitment. Most of us would have abandoned the research by now.
This is Erik’s younger brother, and if you have already met Erik, a few things may suddenly make sense. The weary expression. The need to take charge. That particular look an older sibling gets when they love somebody dearly but would quite like them to sit down for five minutes. Ernie has things to do. Whether those things need doing is a separate question, and frankly, you are slowing him down.
It Seemed Like a Good Idea
Some cats approach the unfamiliar with caution. A sniff, perhaps. A little inspection from a safe distance. Ernie’s curiosity gets him considerably closer to the problem. Here is a cat who considers a bee a possible high-five partner. You can almost feel Erik preparing to intervene. There are several excellent reasons to leave bees alone, but explaining them requires Ernie to stop being interested in the bee long enough to listen.
His character has that lovely, alarming quality of being completely available for adventure. Something is happening? He wants in. Something might happen? Also interested. Nothing happening whatsoever? Give him a moment. For a reader, this is excellent news. For anyone responsible for getting him home in one piece, less so.
And he means well. That is the awkward part. It would be much easier to deliver a proper telling-off if there were not such an enthusiastic little cat at the centre of the trouble, apparently as surprised by the outcome as everybody else.
A Word from the Older Brother’s Side
Being Erik must be exhausting. Imagine having a younger brother who enjoys prank wars and takes your annoyed expression as encouragement. You have put real effort into looking stern. Your whiskers are practically issuing a warning. He appears to think you would like another go. Ernie gives Erik plenty to object to, which is rather enjoyable when you are safely on the other side of the page. Erik’s confidence needs somebody around who does not find it quite as impressive as he does.
The brothers make a good pair to follow because neither gets everything his own way. Erik can have a plan, but he still has Ernie to account for. Ernie can charge into something with tremendous enthusiasm, but sooner or later he may need his brother’s help getting out.There is room for readers to take sides, too. Perhaps you understand Erik’s frustration. Perhaps you remember being the younger one, forever being told to wait while somebody older explained the correct way to have fun. Or perhaps your loyalties depend entirely on who started it. Fair enough.
About Those Missing Snacks
Ernie enjoys sneaking snacks. He is less keen on being told off, which creates an obvious difficulty when the snacks are discovered to be missing. His approach includes blaming ghosts. An ambitious defence. Difficult to question the suspect, certainly, though it does raise concerns about why a ghost would need lunch.
This cheekiness belongs alongside something softer. Ernie is loyal to Erik. He may spend a considerable amount of time testing his brother’s patience, but he is ready to defend him when it matters. His judgement about how to help might need work. His willingness does not.
That affection keeps the mischief from wearing thin. You can enjoy the exasperation because there is a brother worth caring about underneath it. You will meet both sides of Ernie in the world of the Erik and Ernie books: the little troublemaker you want to keep an eye on, and the companion you would still want coming along. Preferably within reach. If he tells you he has gone invisible, do check behind you.
