Hello,

I’m
Thea!
I’m Geronimo ’s
As I’m Stilton
sister.
sure you know from my
brother’s
bestselling novels, I’m a special
correspondent
for The Rodent’s, Mouse Island’s most
Gazette famouse
newspaper. Unlike my ’fraidy mouse brother, I
absolutely
adore traveling, having adventures, and
meeting rodents
from all around the
world!
The adventure I want to tell you about
begins
at Mouseford Academy, the school I went to
when I was
a young mouseling. I had such a great
experience
asa student that I came back to teach a
there
journalism class.
When I returned as a grown mouse, I really
met five
special students: Colette, Nicky, Pamela,
Paulina, and
Violet. could hardly imagine five more
You different
mouselings, but they became great friends right
away.
And they liked me so much that they decided
to
their group after me: the Thea Sisters! I was soname
touched
by that, I decided to write about their
adventures. read a fabumouse
the page to So adventureturn
about the

THEA
SISTERS !
She has a passion
for
clothing and
style,
especially
anything
pink. When she
grows
up, she wants to
be
fashion a
editor.

Cheerful and kind,

she
loves traveling
and
meeting rodents
from
all over the world.
She
has a magic touch
when
it comes to
technology.

She’s the
bookworm
the of
group, and she
loves
learning. She
enjoys
classical music
and
dreams of
becoming
famouse a
violinist.
She comes from
Australia
and is very
enthusiastic
aboutsports and
She nature.
loves being
outside
and is always ready
to
up and get
go!

She is a great
mechanic: her
Give a
screwdriver
and
she’ll fix
anything!
She loves,
pizz
she aeats
which
every day,
and loves
she to
cook.
Do you want to help the
Thea
Sisters in this new
adventure?
not hard — just follow It’s
the
clues!
When you see this
magnifying
glass, pay attention: It
means
there’s an important clue
on
page. Each time one the
appears,
we’ll review the clues so we
miss don’t
anything.
ARE YOU READY?
A NEW MYSTERY AWAITS!
 AND THE
HOLLYWOOD HOAX

Scholastic
Inc.
Copyright © 2015 by Edizioni Piemme S.p.A., Palazzo Mondadori, Via
Mondadori
20090 1,
Segrate, Italy. International Rights © Atlantyca S.p.A. English
translation
2016 by Atlantyca ©
S.p.A.
The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any
responsibility
for author or third-party websites or their
content.
GERONIMO STILTON and THEA STILTON names, characters, and related
indicia
are copyright, trademark, and exclusive license of Atlantyca S.p.A. All
rights
The reserved.
moral right of the author has been asserted. Based on an original
idea
Dami. by Elisabetta
www.geronimostilton.com
Published by Scholastic Inc., Publishers since 1920, 557 Broadway, New
York, NY
10012.SCHOLASTICand associated logos are trademarks and/or registered
of Scholastic trademarks
Inc.
Stilton is the name of a famous English cheese. It is a registered
trademark
of the Stilton Cheese Makers’ Association. For more information, go to
www.stiltoncheese.com.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright
Conventions.
part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, No
decompiled,
reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information
storage
retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic and
or
mechanical,
known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission ofnow
the information regarding permission, please contact Atlantyca
For publisher.
S.p.A.,
Via
20123 Milan, Italy; e-mail Leopardi
foreignrights@atlantyca.it, 8,
www.atlantyca.com.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents
are either or are used fictitiously, and the
product of the author’s imagination any
resemblance
actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, to or
locales
coincidental. is entirely
e-ISBN 978-0-545-
87286-7
Text by Thea
Stilton
Original title Colpo di scena a
Hollywood
Cover by Chiara Balleello (design) and Flavio Ferron (color) with
Kristine Brideson
Illustrations by Barbara Pellizzari and Chiara Balleello (design), and
Valentina
Grassini
(color)
Graphics by Elena Dal
Maso
Special thanks to Beth
Dunfey
Translated by Emily
Clement
Interior design by Becky
James printing
First
2016
 WAKE UP,
SLEEPYSNOUT!

The minute she opened EYES that

her
morning, Pam had a funny feeling in
her
It just took a glance at the clock fur.
for
realize what was wrong. Shelate
her ! to
was
and the other Thea Sisters should She
have
ready for class half an hour been
ago!
The five mouselets — knownTHEA
as
SISTERS the and
, after their friend
teacher,
Thea Stilton — were best friends.
They
shared rooms in the dorm at their
school,
Mouseford
Academy.
“Coco! WAKE UP! ” Pam shouted to
Colette. “Let’s go,
sleepysnout!”
“Mmm . . . FIVE MORE MINUTES . . .”
Just
Colette
mumbled.
 “We don’t FIVE
have alreadyMINUTES!
We’re
late!”
Finally, Colette shook herself awake.
“What time is . WHAT?!
. She leaped to
. her paws
Nine?!”
and started
running
around fasterthan a hyperactive
hamster
on a treadmill. All at once Colette was
brushing her fur, getting dressed, and
packing BOOK BAG.
her
“How did it get so late? Why didn’t
Paulina
and Nicky and Violet wake up?” she
moaned . “They must have forgotten
to . .
the alarm set
.” The night before, all five friends had
been
up MOVIE
late — Love
watching
the Age of a
, starring in the
actor Johnny
Cheese Ratt.
famouse
They’d stayed up way
past
their usual
bedtime.
Colette and Pam
were ready when
almost
someone
knocked on their door.
“Mouselets! We’re
laaaate!
COME ”
It was Paulina and Nicky, looking
ONNNNN!
disheveled. Nicky’s fur stuck out
every which
way, like a porcupine. Behind them,
Violet
could barely keep her eyesYawn. . .
okay,let’s
open. haul ” “

tail!
The five mouselets scampered
downstairs
and into the hallway that led to their
CLASSROOMS .
“Hey, LOOK!” Pam
cried, She
stopping suddenly.
pointed
to the bulletin board,
where
photo of a mouselet with a
sweet smile was
a
up. tacked
“That’s
Jenna!”
Her friends looked at
one another in
confusion.
“Who?” Violet
asked.
“You know — Jenna, my friend from
New Pam explained. “She lives Los
York,”
in
Angelesnow, so I don’t know what her
picture is doing here .
. .”
 “Check it out, Pam,” said Nicky.
note
“There’s
from the a
headmaster.”

If anyone recognizes
this
mouselet, please come to my
office
immediately.
Octavius de
master
easd
MouHsu

“Let’s go find him!” Pam

“But our class . . .”objected
suggested. .
Violet
Colette checked her watch. “We still
have
FIVE MINUTES. We can make it.
Besides,”
she added, taking her friend by the
paw, headmaster‘immediately’
the . . .” “if
says
“We better scurry along!” Violet
finished.
 AN UNEXPECTED
TRIP

A moment later, the mouselets

knocking timidlyon the door to the
were
headmaster’s office. Inside they found
a surprising scene: The
usually
SERIOUS headmaster
was wearing
kneepads
over his suit pants,
and
he was trying to fit a
YELLOW HELMET onto
his
snout.
“Oh, mouselets,
come in!”
on he
exclaimed,
putting the helmet
and
kneepads on DESK.
his
“These aren’t mine, but
they
remind me of when I young ,” the
was
headmaster went on, chuckling. “Are
you for Jenna? Which one of you
here
knows
her?”
“Um, I do . . . ” Pam said,
forward. stepping
“Then that must be yours!” the
headmaster
declared, pointing to a big cardboard
B O X with a pair of
skatessticking
red in- flaming-
out line
of
it.
“I don’t get it . . .”
Pam
said.
The headmaster laughed. “Oh,
I! neither
This morning, the mailmouse did
handed
this package. At first I thought it was me
some
B O O K S I’d ordered, but when I
opened it, I realized I was mistaken.
Inside
found this helmet, the kneepads, and I
the
skates, plus P H O T O I put up
the on was a
the bulletin board. And there
note,
too.”
The headmaster rummaged through
the
box and passed Pam , whichletter
a
read she
aloud.
Dear super-
pal, ’ve seen
It’s been too long since we
ea chink about you all the time, an I !
d er
oth
I th
r
ngou into
miss
aft ernoons chattering, getti
and
troall
ch uben g each other to races on
le,gin
in-line
our
skates!
idea: Why
So I came up with a gr ea t u n?
ne xt vacayotio
do
come n’t
vis it me du rin g yo ur
od! I knowgif
t u
yo
Th
is is
to he lp ge t y ou in the mo
in LA there are be
wo
ab n’t
le
to re sis t it . Ou t h ere
of
mi
roadless to skate on. I’ll be
ng!!!
waitiLove,
Your super-pal
Jenna S T bring all
your
y y o u M U
P.S. Obviousl
I ie
fr cannd’ts . wait to meet
them!
 By the time she’d finished reading,
wasPam
beaming . “Sisters, you know
thinking, what I’m
right?”
Colette nodded. “Better book our
tickets,
’cause flying to
we’re
“Hooray!” friends California!”
cheered,
onethe hugging
another.
“AHEM . . . ” the headmaster
coughed.
“I’m very happy for you, but right now
you
better fly along to CLASSROOMS .
your
School is about to
start!”
The Thea Sisters scampered off to
butclass, thoughtswere far away, on
their
beaches . wide
.
r m.
e d
b y
w a
l i f o t
r n
h i
e a
s
c a un !
 LA, HERE
WE COME!

Exactly two weeks after the package

arrived,
the Thea Sisters’ flight was about to
land.
was EVENING of the first day It
the
their of
break, and their plane was
fall gliding the pink sky toward
gently through
lightsof the airport. The sprawling
the
of Los city sparkled on the
Angeles raised
Colette horizon.
her snout from her
to guidebook
admire the view. She dreamily .
sighed
Paulina grabbed the guidebook and
it slipped
into her backpack. “Coco, you’ve
been
readingthat for hours. By now you
have must it
memorized!”
“I want to be prepared for this
fabumouse
city,” said Colette. “I’ve already
planned a
 completeTOUR !”
“Including mouseums ?”
interesting
said Violet hopefully, leaning forward
from
the seat behind
“Scenicparks
them. ?” asked
Nicky. ?”
“FamousePIZZERIAS added
Pam. “Um . . .
Colette cleared her throat.
actually,
our first stops will RODEO DRIVE,
be
street with all the high-fashion the
boutiques,
and Hollywood Boulevard, with Walk
the
of !”
The friends exchanged
Fame
looks of disappointment,
but
Nicky took the
guidebook
and held it up. “Don’t
worry,
LA is full of many
amazing
ATTRACTIONS— not
just hit
the ones on Colette’s
list!”
Nicky, Paulina, and Violet

s
giggled, but Colette
pouted. twist
“Oh, don’t get your tail in ,
a
Coco! We’ll manage to do everything,”
promised
Pam .
Pam was already looking forward to
seeing
Jenna. The two old pals hadn’t been
together
in a while. She was sure that Jenna
would
still be the same sunny mouselet
fun,
she’d grown up with back in New
York.
Pam was not disappointed: The
moment
the mouselets came through security,
they
heard an squeakecho through
arrivals terminal.Super-
excited the You’re
“
heeeere!” Pam!
Jenna ran to meet her, and hugged
her
tightly that Pam’s bags fell from her so
paws.
As the friendssquealed and
the THEA hugged,
had a chance
other SISTERS to
check out the blonde tornado that had
swallowed up
Pam.
“Um, hi . . .” Colette said at
Oops!
last.
“ You must be
super-pals, the Thea Pam’s
Sorry! Sisters!” Jenna
enthusiastically. squeezed
cried the
She
four mouselets into a big group other
hug.
 “Let’s go — LA is waiting!” she
leading her new said,
friends to the
parking
The six mouselets stopped in lot.
front
of pink
shiny a
“Nice van.
wheels,” said Pam
admiringly.
“Thanks. Actually, they belong to my
sister,
Terri . She uses the van for her job —
works she in the
“REALLY?!” Colette
movies.”
asked. assistant,”
“She’s a production
explained
Jenna. “She helps out many of the
different
crew members on movie sets, and she
also
runs a ton of
errands.”
The van s t u ff e dwith
was boxes,
spotlights, blankets, water bottles, and
scripts
covered with
notes.
But THEA didn’t pay
the SISTERS
attention much the van.
to what was inside
They
were too captivated by the sights
outside
windows. its
Los Angeles stretched out before
them SKY that was slowly fading
under
a from
orange to deep blue. The light of the
sunset
reflected off SKYSCRAPERS and the
the
mountains that framed the
city.
“Those are the San Gabriel
mountains.
They separate theLos from
city of Angeles
the desert,” explained Paulina, who’d
read the mountains in the
about
guidebook.
“That’s right! Pam told me you were
brainy
as a B O O K M O U S E, Paulina,”
cried
Jenna, taking a street lined with tall,
elegant
palm trees . “But tonight you all must
be
totally zonked from your flight. I
thought
could startTOUR of the we
city
our
What do you tomorrow.
say?”
The mouselets agreed. It had been a
trip
long from Whale
“Um, Island.
there’s just one thing,” Pam
began.
“Maybe we could make a pit stop
. . .”
 “Oh, don’t your sweet little
Pam.” worry snout,
Jenna smiled. “I’ve got an
dinnerwaiting for you at
excellent
“Now I home!”
know you really a good
of are
Pam’s,” Nicky giggling friend
.
said,
The van filled with laughter. Their
California
invacation was off to a great
start!
 Los
A n g e le s
Los Angeles is the largest metropolitan area in the
United
after States
New York, and is located in California, on
the
Ocean. Pacific

The city was founded in the second half of the

eighteenth
century, when Spanish settlers formed a El
colony which Pueblo
de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los, called means
Ángeles “The
Village of Our Lady, the Queen of the Angels.” The
name
was later shortened to Los
Angeles.
LA is probably best known for being the
center
entertainment industry. of also famous for
It’s the
its sunny
beaches,
beautiful homes, and its great its
weather.
Los Angeles is divided into more than ninety
County and towns. different
cities The most famous ones are
downtown
the center of business and the art scene; LA,
extravagant
Hills, Beverly
known for its luxurious homes and pricey
shops; quirky
Venice; beautiful Santa Monica; peaceful Pasadena .
.
are many to . There
explore!
One of the most famous landmarks in Los
Angeles
Hollywood is the heart of the
, which marks the
sign
television movie The HOLLYWOODis and
industry. spelled
word
in white letters on Mount Lee in the out
Hollywood
Hills.
 A CITY WITHIN
THE CITY

The next morning, Pam woke up at

dawn . “Wake up, sleepysnouts!”
she early mouse gets the
cried. “The
cheese!”
Her friends scrambled out of bed.
They
couldn’t wait to discover the wonders
of
Angeles, the city of stars . Los
the
“Did you knowLos County
is that
actually made up Angeles
of many cities?”
Jenna
asked. “There are ninety different
over
cities and towns, each with its own
personality.”
Colette’s eyes looked like they were
pop out of her snout. “How can we
togoing
them visit
“Have fear
all?” , your personal tour
is no
here! Today guide
I’ll be taking my new
super-
pals to see all my favorite spots,”
Jenna
Their day began HOLLYWOODsaid. , the
in of the film industry, with a big
heart
breakfast
of FRENCH TOAST .
Then Jenna took them to Walk of
the , the street with celebrities’
Fame
starsnames
on the on
sidewalk.
“Absolutely ” Colette
fabumouse!
squeaked. “Wouldn’t it be incredible
to
yourNAME here?” have
“Oh, Colette,” Paulina said, “there
are
many I M P O R TA N T thingsso
more
life, like in
—”
“Hey, look,” Nicky interrupted.
the star of
“Isn’t that
The?” she asked,
Mouselor
pointing to surrounded by a
a rodent
of fans
crowd .
“Where, where?” squeaked Paulina.
She
scurried over to ask AUTOGRAPH.
for his
 “I guess even practical Paulina gets
STARSTRUCK sometimes,” said
grinning. Nicky,
Their tour continued at the
CHINESE THEATER, a
cinema that looks famouse
like a
palace.
Then the mouselets left Hollywood
and
along Mulholland Drive, a street drove
that
long
winds through the
hills.
Their next stop was the Getty
Center, institute with a gorgeous
cultural a
There they visited mouseumfull of
garden.
a
interesting artwork. The six mice
spent strolling through its
hour an
galleries.
“Mouselets, if I have to look at
another picture of fruit, I’m
going biteinto
to
Pam moaned it,” at
last.
“Doesn’t this place
have a
cafeteria?”
Jenna laughed. “I
have a better idea. Let’s
have outside on the
a picnic
I grounds! some
packed
sandwiches.”
The Thea Sisters agreed,
and
soon they were sitting on the Center’s
enjoying spectacular
terrace, view of the
a “What’s next?” Pam asked between
city.
bites.
Jenna grinned. planned an
of“I’ve afternoon
relaxation in one of my favorite
spots
of LA. But for that, in
we’ll need these!”all
She
pulled hats, sunscreen, and bathing
suits
of her out
backpack.
“We’re going tobeach ?” Colette
the
Jenna nodded. “Yep, asked.
to Malibu. got
It’s
more than twenty miles of beautiful
beaches!”
“Awesome! But we’ll need to keep
our
energy up if we’re going to swim. So,
uh,
Jenna, are you going to eat hotdog?”
that
Pam
asked.
The other Thea Sisters burst out
laughing.
They were feeling right at home
in LA!
 UNEXPECTED
NEWS
As soon as Jenna and the Thea Sisters
got
home SIGHTSEEING , Violet
from sprawled
out on the sofa. “I want to sleep for
three
whole . . .”
days
“But we still need to skating ,” Pam
go
protested. She couldn’t wait to try out
the
skates Jenna had sent
her.
“Okay, okay,” moaned Violet. “Let
me my eyes for a quick just
close
ratnap
Meanwhile, . Nicky . began .” going
through
the P H O T O S she’d taken that day.
others crowded The
around
“You’re funnyin
her. that hat,
so
“And there you Paulina!”
are, Coco, friends
making
with that puppy in the pink
sweater!
Remember? Coco?”
Colette didn’t answer. Her eyes
were
 The best part
Malibu
about — the ice
cream!

Even the dogs

elegant in
are
LA!

How do I look
in
stars and
stripes?

Here we are
Hollywood!
in
GLUED to the TV.
“Hey, what’s going on? Bad news?”
said
Nicky.
Colette nodded. “The newscaster
just
announced LANE RATLORD has
that
DISAPPEARED !”
Violet’s eyes popped open
again. who?” asked
“Lane
Pam.
“Ratlord!THE PRINCESS OF
MOUSITANIA!
She’s disappeared into thin
air!”
The friends all turned to the news
broadcast. “The princess was
supposed
attend a partyyesterday to
benefit
but afternoon,
she never arrived. There’s NEWS
been no has
of her since, but the royal family
not
officially confirmed yet
her
disappearance
“Who knows where . gone . ? .” I
she’s
nothing bad happened to her,” Paulina hope
worried.
said,
 “You’re squeaking as if she was one
of
CLASSMATES! ” Jenna your
said,
“I’ve never even surprised.
heard of
Mousitania.”
“It’s a tiny country famouse for its
stringed
instruments. I have violin
that
a
made there,” Violet was
explained.
“The PRINCESS seems like a really
mouselet,” nice
Colette
continued.
“I’m sure they’ll find her soon,”
Nicky
Just then, keyturned in said.
the
a
door. apartment
“Sis, is that you?” called a
mouselet a

MISSING?

Princess Lane Ratlord, heir to the throne of

Mousitania
little older than
them.
“Terri! At last!” Jenna cried, running
hto u gher. “Mouselets, this is my big
sister.”
TheTHEA introduced
SISTERS themselves,
and Colette asked Terri about her job.
“It
must be great to be around all those
Hollywoodstarsevery
day.”
“Yes, well, they aren’t all so nice . .
.”
said, Terri
grinning.
“But what opportunity ! To work on
an
real-life movie set . . .” a cried
Nicky.
“Well, some days all I do RUN around
is a rat with a trap on its tail. But
like
my
can also be excitingsometimes.” job
really
“What’s it like on set?” Paulina
Terri looked at the curioussnouts
asked.
around her. “Why don’t you all come
see
tomorrow? I’dhappyto show you
be
around the movie mice
set!”
 “How fabumouse!” cried
Pam.
The Thea Sisters exchanged a look
of
excitement. Terri was inviting them
into HOLLYWOOD!
heart the
of
“You’re amazing, sis!” Jenna
cheered.
turned She
to the Thea Sisters. “This is
going
be UNFORGETTABLE !” to
 LET’S HIT THE
SET!

The next day, Pam early . “On

woke up your
paws, sisters! Time for breakfast! And
then
let’s hit the
set!”
Violet reluctantly opened her eyes.
“Mmm . . .FIVE MORE MINUTES . . .”
just
she
groaned.
But Colette jumped right up. “Okay,
so
what should I wear? sporty. . .
Something
or something simple classy. . . or . .
but
Nicky was already up .” andVI,
stretching.
COCO, COME ON, IT’S BREAKFAST “
TIME! If you don’t
move Pam
your tails,
will
leave you
nothing
but CHEESE
RINDS!”
 The mouselets burst out laughing. A
few
minutes later, they were dressed, and
they
scurried downstairs to join Jenna and
big breakfast PANCAKES drizzled
Terria
for
of
with melted cheese and
honey.
When the pancake had
last asked, “Mouselets,
Terri disappeared,
are you
ready?”
The thought of visiting a Hollywood
FILM set made the mouselets
into cheers. Yessssss!
explode ” They
“ scrambled
into their friend’s van, which started
with
rumble and sped onto FREEWAY . a
Half an hour later, Terri van
the
parked the
next to an enormouse building. “Here
we
are!” she said. “Hop out and take
one.”
pawed each mouselet a pass NAME She
with
on it. “You’ll need these to gether
in.”
Colette, Nicky, Pam, Paulina, Violet,
and FOLLOWED Terri inside a
Jenna
huge
warehouse
. Before them lay an
scene. incredible
A FEW STEPS away was a street
with storefronts. lined
There were lots of
rodents
scurrying around, FURNITURE,
moving
aiming LIGHTS, and arranging
props.
“B-but . . . what are we doing on
another asked Pam, aroundin
street?”
looking
confusion.
Terri laughed. “This isn’t another
street IS THE!” She took her
THIS —
SET
the paw and led friend
her to the edge ofby
a
building.
“Holey cheese!” cried Pam. “What
happened to backof this
the building?”
“There is no back,” Violet explained,
joining friend. “They’re just
her
locations for pretend
the
movie.”
Pam was about to reply when a
sharp rose above noiseon set.
squeak
the
“Terrrrriiiiiiii! Where have you been?
I’ve
been looking for you all
morning!”
“Leslie! I just got here,” said
“ Let me introduce—”
Terri.
you
“Yes, yes, it’s great that you
have
new assistants , but come
with
me now; we’ve got to set up
for
the next scene. Everything’s
total cat-
a ! The
clothes are all wrong, the
lights
astrophe
aren’t bright enough, no one
knows
what time Johnny Ratt will get
here,
and most important, no one’s
brought meCOFFEE!”
my
“That’s Leslie Mousie, the
director,” “I have to go now.
Terri murmured.
Enjoy
the shoot!” And she scurried after the
director.
“Moldy Brie on a baguette, did I
hear that
right?Johnny is going to be
ColetteRatt here?!”
asked.
“ THAT’S RIGHT ,” Jenna replied. “Terri
told
me he’s agreed to do a small part in
the
MOVIE, and today they have to
scene.” shoot his
“If he ever gets here,” Violet
said.
“ Let’s hope he” Colette
makes
want to ask him for it! replied. .”
AUTOGRAPH “I
an
“You’re not the only one,” said
Jenna,
grinning. Then she pointed to the set.
“Okay,
mouselets, let’s get our tails in
gear.

IT ’S T IM E

TO START

TH E
S H O O T !”
 LITTLE
PROBLEMS
AND BIG
DISCOVERIES
The set was crowded with makeup
artists,
costume assistants, and techSuddenly
,
crew.
as the mouselets watched, the
soundstage
emptied out. A moment later, the
shouted,And . . .”
director
“ action!
A young mouse raised his
clapperboard andThe
cried, Powerpaw “ ,
Mouselets
scene three, take
one!”

The CLAPPERBOARD is a small

board
(chalkboard, whiteboard, or digital
board)
with information about each scene.
When
the top part is lifted and released, it
makes
its trademark clapping
sound.
Then he let go of CLAPPER, and it
the
smacked the wooden board
below
“The Powerpaw. it. . .”
Mouselets Paulina
murmured. “Jenna, do you know what
kind
of movie this
is?”
“It’s an ACTION movie!” her
friend Mouselets
explained. “The Powerpaw
are of rodents with special who
trio a
POWERS
save their city from
villains.”
Just then, three mouselets in
jumpsuits
burst onto the CHASING two
scene
looking shady-
villains.
Leslie Mousie SHOUTING,
interrupted,
“Awful! Horrible! Terrible! Where is
the
action? Where is the tension? Where
is
drama?! Take it from the the
top!”
She shrieked so loudly that Pam had
to
cover her ears. SheSTEP backward,
took a
tripping on a cable and stumbling into
a
cameramouse, who slipped bumped
and
into a lighting technician, who leaned
against
a
CRASH!
spotlight.
The spotlight fell and broke into a
thousand
pieces . . . just inches from Leslie
Mousie.
“Rats, what a mess!” Pam
“Who moaned.
are these intruders?!” the
director
screamed, pointing to THEA .
Terri rushed over. SISTERS
the “They are my
guests! them a few minutes ago I
introduced
—”
 But Leslie Mousie didn’t let her
finish.
don’t care who they are, GET THEM OUT“I
just
OF HERE! This film is already a
complete
cat-astrophe withoutKLUTZ getting
some
her clumsy paws all over
it!”
“How dare she call Pam a clumsy
klutz?!” fumed, her fur pinker
Colette
turning
than a cat’s
nose.
“Relax, Coco,” Paulina whispered. “I
think
the director is just a anxiousabout
little
Johnny Ratt coming today .
. Just then, a friendly- .” ratlet
looking
approached. “Hey, Terri, did you bring
some
friends ?”
Terrinodded . “Mouselets, this is
the assistant Matthew,
director — and one of
the
rodents here who knows how to make few
Leslie
happy!”
Matthewlaughed . “Oh, I’m used to
working with all kinds of rodents! So,
is this
the first time you’ve been to a film
shoot?”
Violet nodded. “It’s a new fascinating
and
world for
us.”
“Well, there’s much more to see,”
said
Matthew. “Why don’t you come with
me?
show you the green screen, one of the I’ll
wonders of movie world.”
the
Matthew led them into the wing
where the
next scene was being shot. The three
star
actors were standing in front of a
large
G R E E N screen that covered the
and the wall
floor.
“But . . . where’s the”
scenery?
Nicky, asked
confused.
“Oh, we’ll add the background
with computereffects,”
details later
Terri
to her friends. explained
“The screen is a
neutral
background that we can fill with any
scenery
kind of
. We use this technique for
when the scenes
Powerpaw Mouselets run
across
rooftops, or fly
around.”
She pointed to a monitor that
showed background
computerized . It the
really
looked
like the Powerpaw Mouselets were
running
across a
rooftop!
The Thea Sisters’ jaws
dropped.
“That’s awesome!” Nicky
cried.
 THE WHIMS OF
A STAR

Over the next two hours, each

mouseletdiscovered a
aspect of filmmaking. different
Violet
friends with soundtechnician,
made
a
Colette got fashion advice from
the
costumemanager, Paulina
about learned
editing, Nicky
interviewed
the locations scout, and Pam
just
snoopedaround
As the everywhere.
Thea Sisters
admired
set ofpool where the
the
the
Mouselets Powerpaw
would be
staging
their next rescue,
Terri
scurried
over.
“He’s He’s ”
landed!
here!
 Leslie Mousie grew paler than a
slice mozzarella. “But
fresh he’s of!
. . three . scenes to film
We still have
before
early his!”
TheTHEA grinned. Soon
SISTERS
see the famouse Johnny
they’dRatt, in
the
Chaosbroke out across the fur! set.
adjusted The crew
the lights and microphones,
and the
assistantsscampered here and there.
Even
the Powerpaw Mouselets, who’d
seemed
tougherthan a pack of tomcats, were
jitters. all
A few minutes later, a group of
rodents allBLACK swept onto the
dressed
in “Who are they?” set. askedconfused .
Paulina,
“Bodyguards,” Terri whispered. “For
. “. Johnny .”
”
Ratt! Colette.
squealed
The
ring of rodents had
opened to reveal a
dashingly
handsome
mouse. He was
dressed
elegantlyand wore
dark
sunglasses.
Leslie Mousie ran
to
greet him. “Mr.
welcome
Ratt, . . .”
 The famouse actor stuck
his in the air. “Please
snout
me I have to act in rat-
don’t tell
this
trap! Haven’t you read my
contract? I’ve been
nominated
for MOUSCARS, you
seven
know!”
“He doesn’t seem very
nice ,” Violet
The murmured.
actor approached the
had three stars. “I hope
movie’s
are all you
professionals. I hate doing
more
one than
take!”
The Powerpaw Mouselets just rolled
their
eyes.
“Jeanette! grapes !” Ratt
Fresh cried.
A kind-looking rodent scurried to
his
and pawed him bunchof side
a “Are you joking? grapes.
These green !
grapes are
I only RED grapes! It’s in my
eat contract!”
“B-but I c-could only find these . . .”
stuttered his
assistant.
“Hmpf! This day is off to a terrible
start!”
Ratt grumbled . Then he stomped
away. over to Jeanette,
Terri scampered
whose
ears were
drooping.
 “Don’t worry — I’m sure someone
can toSUPERMARKET,”
you take
she
the whispered.
Meanwhile, Johnny Ratt and the
first
Powerpaw Mouselet rehearsing
began
his scene, which took place after the
Powerpaw Mouselets had saved a
train
of passengers fromevil Mr. K. full
the
The SET looked like a train car,
extras with
playing stillupsetby
passengers the
danger they’d escaped. In the scene,
Johnny
Ratt was the only one to fleeing
notice the
Powerpaw Mouselet. He stopped her
and to learn her secret
tried
identity.
“The Powerpaw, scene six,
Mouselets
one!” take with the
shouted the rodent
CLAPPERBOARD.
“Wait!” shouted Johnny Ratt,
grabbing
fleeing mouselet by the paw. “Tell me the
who
you
are!”
 “I am —”
“Iris!” shouted
Ratt.
Terri WHITER than a Brie
turned not the right line
“That’s rind.
. “Esmeralda,”
. .”
corrected the
Powerpaw
Mouselet.
“WHO CARES about
Someone here is Esmeralda! wearing iris
perfume, and you
am allergic! How could I
not
know that! It’ll take me a
half
hour to recover!” the
actor
complained .
The director put her
in snout
her paws in
despair.
The Thea stifledtheir
Sisters
giggles.
“Something tells me this scene is
going a loooooongtime
take to
to
long,
Colette observed, shaking shoot,”
her
snout.
 A STROLL ALONG
RODEO DRIVE

After Johnny Ratt had fi l m e dall

finally
his scenes and driven the cast and
crew
distraction, he announced that J E to T
his
was waiting for him. He had to return
to
penthouse in New York so he could do his
a
series of interviews before NIGHT.
Mouscar
“We’re free at last!” Jenna sighed
with
relief.
Colette nodded. “In M O V I E S ,
his
Johnny Ratt is always so kind and
romantic. . . but in real life he’s so
moody and
demanding!”
“Never trust appearances,” Violet
said
wisely.
“Mouselets, I’ve got news,” cried
Terri,
scurrying over. “Leslie has decided to
film scenes out in the city. We’re
few a
downtown.”
heading
The whole crew was going to Rodeo
Drive,
the street in Beverly Hills that is
famouse
its FANCY SHOPS. for
Colette couldn’t contain her squeal
of
enthusiasm. This was the moment
she’d
dreaming of since she first setbeen
Los
paw
Angeles! in
The minute they arrived on Rodeo
Drive, Colette was
entranced.
She couldn’t tear
her
EYES away from
the
shop windows. The
street was lined
with
elegant jewelers
and
clothingboutiques.
For a fashion
mouse
like Colette, it was a
little
slice of
heaven!
Suddenly, mouselet
a
wearing a cap
and
big sunglasses
scampered
around
the corner of a
building,
drawing
Colette’sa ttention.
“Coco! What are you doing over
there,
daydreaming?” c a l l e dNicky.
“Sorry! I’m coming. It’s just I
thought that mouselet . . .” said
recognized I
pointingto the young mouse, who
Colette,
scurrying was
away.
“It must be a famouse actor. This
place with celebrities!” said Pam.
crawling is
“But
now shake a, the crew is ready
let’s
start tail to
shooting.”
 The Powerpaw Mouselets had to
shoot in which c l i m b e dout of a
scene a
they
window. But the director store was
grouchier
a groundhog after the long morning than
with
Johnny Ratt, and she kept
interrupting,
forcing the P E R F O R M the
actors
scene over and to same
over.
“Snout up, Julia! Lindsay, pouting!
stop I can’t even see you, get in the
Cate,
frame
No, now you’re . blocking . Julia, move .
your
tail! Over more! Now you’re too far
over
The .
actors worn out. . Even the .”
looked
Thea Sisters were starting to feel
tired
all the EXCITEMENT. after
day’s
“Cheese niblets, don’t you movie
mice
take a break?” Violet asked Terri, ever
trying
hold back y a w n . to
a “And don’t you ever stop for a
snack?” grabbing STOMACH, Pam
moaned,
her which
was starting to
gurgle.
Terri laughed. “Didn’t I warn you
this
wasn’t FUN? Why don’t you work go
home with Jenna back
always and wait for me
there?
can take my van — I’llTAXI.” You
grab a
The mouselets exchanged a look.
They
were ready to accept her invitation.
All
except Colette, who was too GAZING
busy
intothe store
windows.
But at last her eyelidsdroop ,
started got the better to
exhaustion of her. and
She
and
other mouselets scrambled into the the
van
headed back to the and
house.
 A L I T T L E R E S T AND
R E L A XAT I O N

Back at h o u s e , the Thea Sisters

the could
finally relax. They’d had no idea that a
day
on SET would be so
draining!
PamDASHED into the kitchen and
whipping up a began
snack, while the others
chatted the day’s
about
events.
“The shoot was so”
exciting!
declared with a Paulina
sigh.
“The cast was so good,” Nicky said.
“Julia favorite
was . She’s such a
my natural!”
“I liked Lindsay — she’s so
carefree,”
Colette
said.
“And did you notice how nice
Violet commented.Poor guy,
Matthew
is?”
“
director doesn’t treat him too
the
well!”
 “Yeah, Matthew is a really sweet
rodent,”
said Jenna. “He and my sister work
TOGETHER very
closely.”
“I smell romance !” Colette joked.
loved matchmousing. She But Violet
looked
little down in the snout at the thought a
of
Terri and Matthew
together.
“Oh no, there’s nothing like that
going
said Jenna. “They’re good on,”
just
Violetperked right friends.” away — and
noticed. up “What’s Colette
up, Vi? Are you
crushing
on Matthew?” she asked
slyly.
“I don’t know what you’re squeaking
about,
Coco. He’s just . . . nice, that’s all!”
Violet
protested, blushing.
Before Colette could reply, Pam
scurried
into the room. “Sisters, is
DINNER
she declared,VEGETABLE served!”
pizza.
unveiling a
“Let’s save some for Terri,” Violet
said.
 “What time will she home?”
be “We’ve been here for at least an
Nicky. asked
hour.”
“Oh, she usually finishes work late,”
Jenna
reassured them smile.
with
Two hours later, a though, there was
still of Terri, so Jenna tried giving
trace no
her
“It’s so strange. a Her phone ringing
call.
keeps and then goes to voicemail,”
she said, looking
worried. “Could she
have
forgotten
her phone
 somewhere?” asked
Jennashookher snout. “Leslie
Nicky.
Mousie so she always
calls her constantly,
keeps
phone close her
by.”
After another hour, Jenna was
really worry.
starting
to “Why don’t you try calling
Matthew?”
suggested Violet. “Maybe they’re all
stuck
at the studio, and Terri can’t
pick for some
reason.”
incomin
g
up
“Good idea,” said Jenna,
No
calls g
dialing
the assistant director. But
Outgoin
s Terri
callal
C l to
to
his
phone was cell
Call
Terri
off.
to

The Thea noticed

Call

Matthew to
Call
Terri

Sisters
how upset was, and
Jenna
they
tried to cheer her up. But
a
hour later, when there washalf
still Terri, the mouselets
no word from
decided
was time to T R A C K H Eit
R
D O W N .
 LOOKING FOR
TERRI

As the pink van sped back to the

studio,
one squeaked a word. The Thea no
Sisters
tell worriedJenna was could about
how
sister, and they her
concerned.
were
“My sisterand all
I do everything
except when together,
she’s working and I’m
studying,”
Jenna said for the hundredth time.
“And
never forget TELL each other where we
to
going!” we’re
When they arrived at the studio, it
was
deserted. To get in, they had to show
their
p a s s e sto the guard, who
why they were asked
there so late at night.
they explained, GUARD shook his
When
the
snout. “There’s no one here. It’s been
hours
since everyone
left.”
Jenna’s fur turned redder than a
cheese Colette TOOK CHARGE of
rind.
quickly the
situation. “Can you let us in to check?
We’ll
be
quick!”
The guard agreed, and the six
mouselets
scurried inside. Without the hustle
and
hubbub of the actors, assistants, and
crew, the stage studio felt strange and a
little
creepy. The mouselets started bit
dashing
set to callingout for from
set,
Jenna’s whiskers Terri. were quivering
with so Violet took p a w.
worry,
her
think. What jobs does Terri do “Let’s
every
day?
What’s the last thing she usually
does?”
“I . . . I think she checks to make
sure
everything’s back where it belongs.
And
sometimes she gives Matthew a paw
in
editingroom . . the
.”
“Do you know where that is?” asked
Nicky.
Jenna nodded. She led her friends to
a
small room full of M O N I T O R S and
keyboards.
“Hey, that’s Terri’s!” she cried,
a pointing
P H O N E lying next to to a
computer.
“But WHY would she leave it here?
Something must have
happened!”
While Colette squeaked quietly to
Jenna,
the others started to around carefully.
look
Paulina found a PIECE OF PAPER on
torn
the ground. It was a
drawing
in the shape of an
eye.
It didn’t seem like a
CLUE, but no one
found anything else in
the
room.
Suddenly, Nicky heard a noise
muffled
coming from next door. It sounded as
if
someone was pounding on the
wall.
“Come with,” she told her
She pushed aside friends.
me boxes full of old
scripts
that were blocking the corner of the
room
where the sound was coming from. As
soon they moved the boxes, the
as
mouselets
discovered
a small
someone there?” weak
“Hey! Is door.
said
squeak on the other side of the a
wall.
“Terri! Is that you?” called Jenna.
She
turned k e y sticking out of the
Through the keyhole.
the door was a DARK
small,
room filled B O X E S. Terri
with practically
fell into her sister’s open
paws.
“Terri, we’ve been looking
everywhere
you! Are you” Jenna for
okay?! cried.
“I am now that you’re here . . . but I
had scare!” Terri said, bowing her
real a
snout.
“Thank you came looking
goodmouse
me.” for
Meanwhile, the security guard had
joined
the mouselets, and EYES widened
his
surprise when he saw in
Terri.
“Are you okay? How did you get
in locked
the storage room?!” he up
asked.
Terri shook her snout. “I
. . .
I have no idea! ”
 SABOTAGE
ON SET!

The mouselets gathered around

Terri.
“Can you tell us what
exactly
Colette happened?”
asked.
Terri nodded. “Well, once we were
done for the day, Matthew was in
shooting
hurryto get home. So he asked me to
a
take
the film into the editing room. But as
soon
I came in, I heard a strange noise as
coming
from STORAGE next door . .
the ROOM .” found you?”
“The one where we
asked
Violet.
“Yes. It sounded like something had
fallen, so I went in to check on it,”
Terri
said. “But before I even had a chance
around, the door slammed look
to shut
behind
me! Maybe it was just a draft. Then
the
must have stuck , because lock I
been
open the door and couldn’t
get
out.”
Colette shook her head. “It wasn’t
an
accident. It h o n e s t - t o -
was
sabotage!” goodmouse
 The guard’s eyes narrowed. “What
do
mean?” you
“Someone locked the door, and then
stackedB O X E S up in front of it,”
Nicky
explained.
“And look what I found!” cried
Paulina,
who’d been searching the storage
room.
that corner there was a ROCK. “In
small
that Isn’t
strange?”
“Someone must have gone into the
room,
used the rock to create noisethat
the lured
you in, then locked the door behind
Colette guessed. “At POINT, the
you,”
this
question is .
. “Who?” .” concluded
Terri looked at herI have
Violet.
idea!
friends.
” “
no
“Did you notice anything
suspicious?”
Colette asked the
guard.
 The rodent shook his confused.
snout,
“No, but I come on watch for the
night shift
at nine. By then, the studio is
deserted.”
“This must have all beforethen,”
happened
Nicky
said.
“But who would want to lock up
Terri?”
Jenna asked d i s b e l i e f.
in
 Colette reflected a moment.
“Someone
could have wanted to beEDITING
in
ROOM all alone . . . the maybe to look
something . . for
.” Suddenly, Terri turned very
pale.
“It’s . .it’s -not !” she
. n here sputtered,
sifting through the papers on the
table.
“What are you looking for?” asked
Jenna. “The FILM !” cried
Terri.
“The film that we shot
hasdisappeared
today !”
“Keep calm and
scurry said
on,” Colette,
putting
paw around friend a
.
her
“Maybe you put it
down
somewhere
else.”
Terri shook her snout.
“No, s u r e I left it
I’m That’s what the
there.
rodent
who lockedme up was looking
for!” into a chair. “This is
Terri collapsed
a
astrophe! A real cat- , cat-
not
astrophe the
fake kind Leslie’s always complaining
about!
It’s the only copy of the film we have!
Who’s
going to tell
Leslie?”
“Oh, Terri, this isn’t your fault,”
Paulina
said. “Leslie and the crew can always
shoot the scenes again,
right?”
TerriSIGHED . “Maybe if it were a
different
day. But today we filmed the scenes
with
Johnny Ratt. It was so hard to find a
day
when he available . Now he’s
was
back to New York, gone and it’ll be
impossible to
get him on set again in time to finish
shooting
them o v i e!”
For a moment, it was so quiet, you
could a cheese slice drop. The
hear
seemedHOPELESS
situation , and none of
the
mice knew what to
say.
“Well, mouselets, what do you say
we We can tackle this tomorrow,
home? head
after
good night’s sleep. That c l e a a r
o u r h e a d s,”
should Pam
“Good idea suggested.
,” said Colette. “Terri
to rest after needs
everything she’s been
through.
And tomorrow we’ll all go to Leslie
and
explainwhat
happened.”
Terri flashed her friends a grateful
smile. they said good-bye to the
Together
they headed back house
and then guard, .
to the
 AN OFF-SCRIPT
SCOLDING

The next day, when the Thea joined

Sisters
their friends in the kitchen for
breakfast,
Matthew was there, too. Terri had
asked
to come over so she could tell him
him
what
h a p p e n e dthe night had
Terri looked before.
glummer than a
groundhog
who’s just seen his shadow. “Losing
that roll
of film is HUGE loss for the movie .
a “Don’t think about
. .”
that now. The
important
thing is that you’re okay,” Matthew
reassured
her. “And my I should have
it’s fault. taken
the film to the editing room myself . .
.
then maybe
this
“My grandfather always says, ‘If you
always
lookBACK, you never look forward,’”
Violet
said, sitting
down at the table cup
of
with in her paw. “That is, a don’t

tea torture
yourself thinking about what you
should’ve
done. Instead, think about what you
can
now.” do
Matthewsmiledat her.You’re
Violet. The first “ right,
thing to do is tell
Terri Leslie.”
let out a worried sigh.She’ll
“
madder be ”
than a cat on a mouse-
free diet!
“She’ll understand,” said Colette.
“Come
on, let’s get to the
studio.”
But unfortunately, when they were
snout- with Leslie, the director’s
to-snout
reaction
was not what hoped . First she
they’d
turned pale as fresh Camembert.
Then
snout turned redder than a cheese her
rind.
“Wh-what did you” she
say?!
at last.LOST?!You’re joking, sputtered
right,
“ Terri?
Those scenes with Johnny
Ratt
are irreplaceable! Ohhh, I
feel
dizzier than a dormouse .
. “I’m .”
, Leslie, I had
sorry
idea no
something like this
would
happen,” Terri tried to
explain.
“Thethief. . .”
“Thief?! What thief?!”
Leslie interrupted her.
“There
was no thief, you silly
mouse!
You invented this whole
to COVER UP your
story
own
carelessness! Who knows
where you put that film!
Well,
you better try to find it
fast,
otherwise . .
.” “Actually ,” Matthew
said, “it’s all
stepping forward,
my
fault. I should have taken
the
film to be stored, and
—” “Exactly!” agreed the director,
waving
paw in hisIT’S her
YOUR
snout.
BOTH OF “ YOUR FAULT! FAULT If !
you don’t find that film right away,
you can
say good-bye to the crew, because
you’re
fired!” With that, she turned and
STOMPED AWAY.
The mouselets and Matthew looked
dejected. Colette tried to rally them.
“Friends,
we can’t let ourselves get down in the
snout!
The first we’ve gotta do is .
thing a plan!”
“Make . .”
Violet finished,
nodding
her at
friend.
“Exactly!So let’s reviewtheclues ,”
said Colette. “Um, do we have any
clues?”
“Just this torn piece of paper,”
Paulina showing
replied, the paperwith
others the
the drawing of the eye she’d found on
the
floor in the editing
“Hmm, what a drawing
room. . Does
strange
mean anything to you, Terri?” it asked
Nicky.
The mouselet shook her
snout.
“Okay, let’s not get discouraged,”
Colette
said. “It’s possible the thief is
someone
the cast or crew. Let’s split up from
and
look
CLUES. Violet, Nicky, Matthew, and for I
will the members of the crew.
investigate
Pam,
Paulina, Terri, and Jenna, you
around
. “We’ll look . .”
the studio,”
concluded Terri. “Come on
. . .

e ' snot a m
e r inu
t h e.Our j o b s t e
l os a r ee
,
t o o n thel i n !”
 INVESTIGATIONS
ON
SET

While Jenna, Terri, Paulina, and Pam

returned to EDITING room in
the
of new clues, the rest search
of the group
went
talk to the other crew members. They to
wanted
to find out if anyone had strange
noticed any before.
rodentsin the studio the night
They the crew
didn’t want panic , so they
to
kept the missing film reel a secret
for now.
First they talked to Rick, LIGHTING
the
technician, but he responded with a
shake
the snout. “No, I didn’t notice of
anything
funny. I stayed a little late to check a
technicalproblem. Leslie never
misses
chance remind me whenever a
to
goes wrong. But something
I didn’t notice
anything.
Maybe you should check with
Fred.”
“Thanks! We’ll try asking Fred,”
Matthew
said. “He’s the handymouse — he
crew’s
works with everyone. If anything
unusual
happened, he’d be sure to
notice
But Fred NOTICED it.”
anything,
hadn’t either. “Last night I got
out here as soon of as
possible.
The day seemed to
stretch
on longer than a
strand
of melted mozzarella,
and
Leslie was in an
absolutely
foul mood. She argued
with
the sound tech, the
production
manager, and even with the
ratlet
who brings us drinks! Sorry I
can’t
be helpful .”
more
Colette and her friends
weren’t
ready to give up. “What if we
tried
asking the Powerpaw Mouselets?”
asked
Colette, pointing toluxuriousdressing
the
rooms belonging to Julia, Cate, and
Lindsay.
“Can’t hurt to try,” Matthew
agreed.
Colette timidlyon Julia’s
knocked
“Go away!” the actor called door.
out.
“I . . . we . . . we just want to ask you
uan
r g e n tquestion . .
.”
“Your lies will cost you dearly!” Julia
squeaked.
“But . . . but . . . I’m not lying about
anything,” Colette
Matthewlaughed
stammered. . “I don’t think
she’s He knocked
talking to you, Colette.”
harder. it’s Matthew. needto
“Julia,
We
with squeak
you!”
A moment later, Julia opened the door
a with
smile.
“HI I was just going over my
THERE! lines
for today’s shoot. Matthew, are these
your
friends?”
He nodded and explained what had
happened the b e f o r e
.
night
But Julia hadn’t seen anything,
either.
sorry — when I finish working I “I’m
get
here FAST as the mouse who ran
out of
as up
the clock. I like to go take a run along
beach
the . Why don’t you try asking
The Lindsay?”
next Powerpaw Mouselet was
fruit in her dressing room.
onnibbling
some they When told her what
happened,
was really worried aboutshe
Terri. “Why, that’s
awful!
I’m so sorry to hear
about
it! I would have been
terrified. I don’t like
being up in small
closed
At home rooms.
in Australia,
I’m
used to wide-open spaces .
. “I’m Australian, too, and I also hate
.”
being in spaces
shut ,” Nicky
small agreed.
“Really? Where are you from?”
Lindsay
said
eagerly.
While Lindsay and Nicky chatted
about
Australia, Colette, Violet, and
Matthew
to see the Powerpaw Mouselet ,went
last Cate.
A makeup artist was applying a thick
MASK to her
snout.
“Not enough here! Too much there!”
Cate
complained.
“She reminds me of Leslie . whispered
.
Violet, making Matthew .”
giggle.
“What do you want?” Cate asked
haughtily.
They explained everything, but Cate
hadn’t
noticed anything, either. “Last night I
went
home right away. I had a terrible
snoutache
from Leslie’s shouting . . . that rodent
is
IMPOSSIBLE!”

“You’re not the only one who thinks

so,”
Violet
Cate agreed. “With all screeching
observed.
her
and , it wouldn’t surprise
shrieking me
someone tried to get revenge on if
her.”
Her w o r d s struck Violet and
stuck
with her. Soon she was lost in
thought.
“What are you thinking about?”
asked who’d caught his friend’s
Matthew,
absorbed expression.
“About what Cate said,” Violet
replied. here seems resent Leslie
“Everyone
to
Mousie. Every singlecomplained
rodent
about has
her.”
Matthew sighed. “Leslie definitely
doesn’t
make life easy. She’s a perfectionist
and a drama a
of mouse, and goes bit
sometimes she
overboard.
But what does that have
with to what do
happened?”
“What if someone here stole the
asfilm
PRANK ?” Violet reel
a “But who murmured.
would try to F I L M
sabotage
they’re working on?” Colette a
interjected.
Violet shrugged. “I don’t know . . .
It’s idea, but we should at least
odd an
consider
Cate cleared her throat. She it.”
seemed that no one was paying
annoyed
attention
to her. “Ahem . . . If you want to
chitchat,
there’s plenty of room elsewhere in
the
studio. This spot is reserved beauty
for
treatments!” my
The rodents held back giggles.
their
“Come on, let’s find Nicky and go,”
Colette
said.
 FINDING
A
SUSPECT
Colette’s team reunited in front of the
dressing rooms. Everyone was feeling
discouraged.
a bit
“So whoever shut Terri in the
storage
did room
it without being noticed,” Nicky
began.
“Excuse ,” a small squeak
me interrupted.
They turned and saw Mary Lou, the
makeup artist, staring at them. “I
escaped
for a moment,” she p o i n t i n gat
explained,
Cate’s dressing
room.
“How long do I have to stay in this
mask?”
Cate
called.
“Another ten minutes, Cate!” Mary
Lou back. Then she turned back
called
to “I heard you’re doing
the others.
some
investigating,” she whispered, her
eyes
SHINING with excitement. “Can you
me what tell it’s all
about?”
“Um, as we were saying, our friend
locked
was in a storage room and we’re
trying
to figure out who did it,” Colette
said.
“But there’s something else going on,
I right?
betREAL CRIME happened . . .”
a
Lou Mary
said.
The rodents exchanged a puzzled
“This is exciting
look. !” Mary Lou
so
clapping her paws. cried,
“Nothing ever
happens
around
here.”
The Thea Sisters were astounded.
How
could Mary Lou, who was surrounded
by
actors, costumes, set changes, and
exciting
action scenes, be bored?
. The . makeup . t u r n e dto
artist
“You see, I heard you say Violet.
someone
must
resent
Leslie.”
“It was just a thought .” Violet
.
quickly. . said
“I never gossip, you know, but I
think something useful,” said Mary
know I
Lou.
“There’s one rodent who has good
lots of
reasons to be mad at Leslie:
Rufus!”
 “The production manager?”
Matthew
asked,
surprised.
“ YES, HIM.You know, I’m the only
who’s worked one with Leslie for more
than — no one else put up with
year a
can
Nicky giggled her!” as Mary Lou
continued.
also the only one who knows that she “I’m
and
Rufus engaged years ago. Then
were
dumped him, and he’s she never gotten
over it.”
“I don’t know if that’s a strong
enough
motive ,” Violet said,
considering.
“Wait a minute. Didn’t Fred tell us
that yesterday Leslie arguing
was
with the production
manager?”
Nicky
recalled.
“If you ask me, he’s
a got
grudge against,”
her
makeup the
artist said,
nodding.
“Mary Louuu! Come
here!
I can’t stand m a s kany longer!”
this
cried. Cate
The makeup SIGHED. “Coming,
artist . . .” Then she shot a look at
coming
the
others. “I didn’t say a word, okay?” A
moment
later, she’d disappeared into Cate’s
dressing
room.
“What a peculiar,” Nicky
rodent
“Yes,” said Violet. commented.
“But she did give
us
SUSPECT!” a
 PROFESSIONAL
JEALOUSY

While Violet and the others chatting

were
with the makeupPam,Paulina, Terri,
artist,
and Jennawere following up on
lead. They’d another
decided to investigate
the
outside the Powerpaw studio. sets
Mouselets
the door, a major production
lot next In
company
was filming a movie ancient
set in the
At the entrance to Egypt.
studio, Pam
stopped.
“What’s up, Pam? Don’t tellsnack
me already,”
time it’s
said Paulina,
grinning.
Pam shook her snout. “Look there . .
.
that remind you of does
anything?”
The mouselet pointingto a
was
someone script
had left on a nearby table.
On
first page drawing of a large the
was a eye.
 “Jumping gerbil babies! It’s the
same
the scrap of paper as
you found in the on
editing
room,” Terri cried, grabbing the
script.
Paulina EXAMINED it carefully.
exactly — here the blue “Not . The one
eye
the editing room is in
was brown, with
more
decoration.”
“I think it’s the film’s logo. Check
this said, pointing to a
Terri out,”
panel
nearby. The set looked
like
pharaoh’s court, and a a
big
reproduction of EYE Eye on the scrap of
the
hung on the paper

wall.
“You’re right, it’s
definitely
different.” Pam
a r e you?
Eye on the
sighed.
“Who ” script

a grouchy squeak thundered. It

belonged to rodent. “Do
rather unfriendly-looking a
you
have p a s s e s?”
 “Passes? We, um . . .” Paulina
fans willing to do spy
stammered.
“Just
anything
on the shoot, eh? And it’s only to the
first
the guard day!”
shouted.
Pam was about to reply when a
in young an a n c i e n t rat
costume
elegant
approached. E g“What’s
y p t i a n going on,
James?”
“These rodents sneaked on set to
spy GUARD explained.
you,” on
the
“That’s not true,” Pam spluttered.
“We’re
here on INVESTIGATION!”
an
“Really? What kind of
investigation?”
young rat the
asked.
Pam explained their problem to the
rat,
who listened
carefully.
“I’m sorry, but I helpyou,” he
can’t
“We said. so I’m
just started filming today,
sure
no one on the crew would know
anything.
Although . .
.”
 “YES?”
“Well, next to us is the set Danger
for
Dragon, SUPERHERO film like
a
Powerpaw . I’ve The
heard the
Mouselets John Ratantino,
director, is very
jealous
of his
competition.”
“Are you he
saying
might have
sabotaged
Leslie’s film
because
he was afraid it
was
better than his?”
Jenna
wondered.
“Maybe,” the rat
shrugging.
replied,
“There you are!” a
shrill
squeak cried. An
assistant
was running their way.
“Quick
get , s e t— everyone’s
back
on can’twithout
waiting. We !”
start you
 “I’m coming . . .” the rat replied with
a sigh.
He turned back to the Thea Sisters.
that was able to Good
“Hope ”
When he’d left, luck!
help. Terri commented,
“He’s
just as handsome in real life as he is
in
M O V I E S, don’t you the
“Who?” think?”
asked Paulina,
perplexed.
“Don’t tell me you didn’t recognize
him!”
said
Terri.
“Greasycat guts
, who is he?” cried
Pam.
“Damian Stacey — the next big
thing
HOLLYWOOD. in
You know, the starof All
Thanks to the.”
Moon
Paulina and whiskers stood
Pam’s
end. on But
“That was Damian Stacey?!
he
so sweet . . was
.” Terri burst out laughing. “Well, not
stars
all are as snooty as Johnny
Ratt!” find the others and tell
“ Let’s go
them
what we’ve learned,” Jenna
suggested.
Pam agreed . “Okay, but let’s not
anything say
about
Damian.”
“Why not?” asked
Terri.
“Because if Colette finds out we
met didn’t get autograph
and him
, we’ll be in
his
more trouble than my uncle Bigbelly
at
all-you-can-eat cheese an
buffet!”
The mouselets burst out
laughing.
 A HOLE IN THE
THEORY

The two r e u n i t e d
in front of
groups
Powerpaw the Each was
studio.
Mouselets
convinced they’d found the right
explanation
for why the film stolen.
was
“We realized that everyone here
has,
SOMETHINGTO SAY about um,
Leslie
Matthew Mousie,”
began.
“Exactly,” continued Violet. “We
think someone who resents we
know her
enough
sabotage the to
movie.”
“Our suspectis Rufus!” Nicky
continued.
Terri’s tail twitched. “You mean the
production manager? w o r k with
I
him
sometimes.”
Colette nodded. “Yes, him. Did you
know
that he and Leslie engaged once?
were
Rumor has it he’s never gotten over
the
breakup. And yesterday they were
fighting
heard like cats and
rats.”
“It all adds up,” Violet
said.
But Terri shook her snout. “I have to
disagree — it couldn’t be Rufus.
Yesterday
he left at six to watch his hip-
nephew’s
hop performance.”
 The others exchanged a look of
surprise.
“He could COME BACK later,”
have
Violet
said.
“I don’t think so,” said Terri. “The
performance was in Orange County,
outside
Los Look, he even sent me
Angeles. some showed them text
pictures!” Terri
message
the she’d received from
Rufus.
“Looks like our theory has more
a holes
slice of Swiss,” Nicky than
said,
looking down in the
snout.
“Did you mice learn
anything?”
Jenna quickly
described
what they’d learned
about
the other HOLLYWOOD
director making a
superhero
movie.
“Ratantino, of course!
I
heard he’s TALKING
been
 TRASH about The Powerpaw,”
Matthew Mouselets
said.
But Violet was lostin
still thought.
“What is it, Vi?” Paulina asked
“I just remembered
her. something,”
said. “This morning I she
was looking
through
the Hollywood , and I saw an
Star
about article
CHECK IT”
Ratantino. OUT!

O D S T A R
H O L LY W O R OF FLOP
AGON IN D
PING?
ANGE
D ANGER DR t h e producti
on is a
t, a n d
r budge y left the
s way ove as alread
The film i n Rata n ti n o h
meD ! ector Joh
ssir
project.
 “So FILM is no longer in
the
said production,”
Pam.
“No more film, no more Ratantino.
This
says he’sleftfor San Francisco .
already
“Then it can’t . be him.” Jenna.”
sighed.
“We’re
stuck!”

CLUES!
E
IGATING, TH
AFTER INVEST O
EA SI ST ER S HAVE TW
TH S
SU SP EC TS: RUFU
POSSIBLE BUT BOTH
D RATANTINO.
AN
ALIBIS!
HAVE GOOD

THE THIEF
WHAT IF E
ORK IN TH
DOESN’T W SE
BUT WHO EL
MOVIES? OF
L A ROLL
WOULD STEA
THE SET?
FILM FROM
 AN
UNEXPECTED
APPEARANCE

The next morning, the atmosphere at

and Terri’s house gloomy
Jenna . To try to
was
the mood, Jenna had lift cooked a
breakfast
for a group PRINCESSES. fit
of Terri had gone to work like any
other but she knew Leslie would
morning,
fire
if the FILM wasn’t returned her
stolen
soon. So the very mouselets were
wracking
brains, trying to think of new leads to their
investigate.
Crunch!“So what can we do to
help Pam, chewing on a
Terri?” asked
spoonful
cereal. of
“I guess we should keep looking for
clues on set . . .” Violet sighed
and
munched on a
pancake.
“No, mouselets,” Jenna interrupted.
“You’ve done enough. I can’t let you
spend
your vacationtrying to find a
whole
missing film
reel.”
“Oh, don’t worry about us. When a
is friend
in trouble, THEA never
the SISTERS
up!” Nicky exclaimed. “And give
anyway,
our
vacation has fabumouse so
been far.”
“That’s true. That day on set was
agreed. She pulled camera
great!”
Paulina
her
out and started looking through the
pictures.
“Look: Here’s Colette trying on
makeup
Here’s .
Violet listening to . .
the movie
score .
And Pam STUMBLING on . some.
and annoying cables
Leslie!”
Everyone laughed. But as Paulina
looked P H O T O S she
through had
the
on RODEO DRIVE , taken
Colette
frowned.
 “Wait a
Pam stumbling on minute.
set Go back to that
last
photo!”
A bit
confused,
Paulina swiped
backward.
“Zoom in
on detail,
that
please . .
.” The photo
had been
in the late afternoon, taken when the
mouselets
were leaving. There was Julia, in her
green
Powerpaw costume, after she’d just
jumpedonto the roof of a flaming-
red Behind her were
sports car.
technicians
assistants. and
“LOOK there . . .” said
She p oColette.
i n t e dto a figure in the
 Shot on Rodeo
Drive

background. It was a young rodent

eating
sandwich. a
Nicky squinted, focusing on the hazy
in figure theWait, isn’t that the
picture. “ The mouselet
you noticed? one who reminded
you
someone?” of
Colette smiled triumphantly. “She
doesn’t
remind me of someone, she someone.
is
PRINCESS LANE RATlLORD , to be
exact!”
 “What?! Are you sure?”
asked
Pam.
Colette nodded. “She’s a
in mouse
million! It’s her, I’m
a telling Lane. I’m
you, it’s Princess
one
hundred percent
certain!”
“Well, she doesn’t look so
ROYAL . She’s really
down that scarfing
sandwich!” Paulina
said.
“But what is she doing here in Los
Angeles ?” asked
“I have Jenna.
no idea,” Colette
replied.
“Sisters, this is incredible! We were
looking
for a film thief, and instead we found
RUNAWAY princess!” said
a
The other Pam. mouselets all
laughed.
“Do you know what I think? You
should MYSTERY,” said Jenna.
solve
this
that your “Isn’t
thing?”
 “But what about your sister?” asked
Violet.
“She’ll get through it. I’m sure we’ll
figure
something out. Besides, Lane’s case is
of
international importance,” Jenna
replied.
“Are you saying we should alert the
police?”
asked
Violet.
“No way! ” cried Colette. “If Lane is
she must here,
have a reason. We should
find
and make sure she’s her
okay.”
“Greatidea,” said Pam. “But
how?” room was
For a few moments,
the silent.
The only sound was Pam chewing (she
hadn’t
finished breakfast yet).
her
“Well,” began Violet, “let’s make an
educated guess. Where would you go
if
were a princess and foundyou
Los
yourself
Angeles?” in
“But we’re not squeaking ANY
about just
princess — it’s Lane Ratlord! She’s
sunny,
sporty, and spontaneous,” Colette
protested.
Violet smiled. “Perfect. That’s
exactly
kind the
of place where we should look
for
w h e r e her:

som e
sunny,
o r t y,
s p
and
spontaneous!
”
 FLYING —
ON
S KAT E S !

Colette pulled out her notepadand

pink
began to make a list of everything she
knew
about Princess
Lane.

Lane
Likes
1. :
VANILLA ICE CREAM

2. SKATING

3. MOVIES

4. S P O R T S

5. ROCK MUSIC
 The mouselets hoped the list would
ideasof places to start their
give
them
“If lovessearch.
the movies, that
she she was so
why explains
interested in F I L M
the
shoot,” Violet
reflected
“And if.
one of her passions is
skating
might , hanging out in Venice,”
be she
Jenna
observed .
“Yes! I want to visit Venice, too!”
cried
Nicky ,
clapping.
Paulina confused . “Wait, you
looked the cityI t a l y?”
Venice, mean
in “Come on, Paulina, didn’t you read
the
guidebook?” Nicky teased. “Venice is
also
neighborhood LA . It got its name a
in
it’s built canals because
, just like the
with
Venice.” original
“IT’S TRUE,” Jenna confirmed. “Now
its boardwalk along the
famouse for it’s
beach.
Plus it has bike paths that are perfect
rodents who like skate
for .”
to
“All right, you’ve convinced me.
cheese wheel and roll!”
Let’sa
like make
Paulina
An hour later,Thea said.
were
the
admiring Sisters ocean
the turquoise-blue
that
stretches past the palm trees of
Venice
“Pam,be !” Beach.
shouted
Pam barely had Paulina.
careful time to duck out of
the
as a ratlet did daringflip on way his
a
and then sped past unicycle,
“It’d be better if we got wheels
her. ,
some
don’t you think?” said
Pam.
“We can rent skates over there,”
said
pointing to a store Jenna,
nearby.
While Pam strapped on the in-line
skates Jenna had sent her, the
rented others
them.
They snapped on their helmets and
kneepads and started to make their
across lengthand
way of
the bread
magnificent boardwalk t h borders
that the
the
“Look over there,” Colette sea.
said,
gazing at
the painted walls that looked like true
W O R K S O F A R T.
“And over there!” cried Nicky,
a pointing
group of to
acrobats.
“Venice Beach FAMOUSE for its
is
artists,” Jenna street
explained.
“It’s definitely a cool place to visit.
But
unfortunately SIGN of the
there’s said princess
here . . .” Violet no
sadly.
 FOUL ON THE
PLAY

Together, the little group headed

for
spot where a popular ROCK a
BAND would be playing,
all they but
could do was look
around helplessly, because
they
didn’t have
tickets.
“I’m starting to think this
wasn’t
such brilliantwayto find Lane,”
a
reflected. Violet
“Come on, Vi, don’t lose hope!
We’ve
one got
more lead to follow: Lane sports
!
loves
Jenna, do you know if there are any big
games
happening around
here?”
“There’s probably FOOTBALL GAME,
a I’m not sure,” Jenna replied. “Let
but
me call
Matthew and ask him. He’s a huge
football
fan.”
The ratlet confirmed there was an
important game EVENING. The six
that
friends made plans to meet him later
at
stadium. the
Then Jenna called Terri to make
sure
was okay. Her sister said it had been ashe
rough
day at the studio, so she wanted to
stay
to home
rest.
“This is my first time at a FOOTBALL
game,” Colette commented as they
scurried
into the stadium. “I’ve seen games on
TV,
but I’ve never actually gone to
one.”
“I love going to games!” said Pam,
looking
around. Lots of fans were dressed in
the
home team’s jerseys. Somepainted
had
their snouts the team even
colors!
Colette beamed. “It’s like everyone
is in
costume for the
Matthewlaughed
game!” . “You’ve really got
Hollywood on the brain,
Colette!”
“I don’t know much about football,”
said “Is there a lot of s t r a t e g y
Violet.
involved?”
Matthew nodded. “There sure is.
You
strategies to hide your defensiveneed
plans,
figure out the other team’s tactics, to
plan
and your !” to

moves
Violet’s eyes widened. “Really? It
chess
sounds
like . I love
chess!” so,” Matthew said,
“I thought
winking.
“You’ll like football, you’ll
see!”
 “Definitely!” said Paulina. “This is
going to more FUN than a trip to
CheeseFest.”
The rodents found their seats.
Matthew started to comment on
actionwhile the mouselets
the
scanned
the crowd for signs of the
princess.
After the kickoff, Jenna and the
other
Thea Sisters got caught up in the
game,
too. STADIUM was alive
The with
cheers from the fans, who waved
banners
and shouted chants to root teamon.
their
When the teamscored a
home Thea jumped
the to ,
touchdown
Sisters
their paws to
celebrate
with the
crowd.
 “Did you see that play?” Pam said.
loved
She football.
“Uh-huh,” said Paulina. “You saw it,
right,
Coco?”
Colette wasn’t paying attention to
what
Paulina saying . She was staring
was
the into
crowd.
“It’s HER !” she cried, pointing to a
mouselet about fifteen feet away. She
wearingsunglasses
was and a
cap. When she jumped baseball
up to
celebrate, a
blonde curls had escaped from few
the
“ Are you” cap.
asked
Jenna. scampering
sure? was already
Colette
through
the crowd to try and reach the
princess.
others quickly The
followed.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t easy to get
through
the MOB of fans. They were waiting in
lines and souvenirs, and
for snacks
everyone was
moving d i ff e r e n tdirections.
in
when the mouselets Finally,
and Matthew
were just noticedthem.
few feet away from Lane, a
she
The turned and
to princess away
run, slipping started
through the crowd.
But Nicky, who was the most
athleticof the
group,
managed to stay
right on her
tail.
 FINALLY . . .
CAUGHT!

Weaving through flocks of fans,

Colette,
Pam, Paulina, Violet, Jenna, and
Matthew
hurried after Nicky and Lane toward
the
STADIUM exit.
“Please, stop!” Nicky called. She
reached
out and finallygrabLane’s
managed
The others soon to
joined paw.
them and
circled PRINCESS, who looked
around
the
“Who are you? upset.
Why are you
following
I’m not going home, all me?
right?!”
“It’s okay,,” said Colette.
not here to take “We’re
Lane you
“Then whatdo you want?” asked
home.”
Lane.
During the chase, her cap had slipped
off,
and her goldenlocks
famouse fluttered
over her shoulders. Her sunglasses
slid
her snout, revealing bright EYES down .
emerald
“We just want to find out
youwhy
RAN AWAY,”
Colette
said kindly. “Don’t you
know
your family is very worried
about you?disappearance
Your
is all over the
news!”
Lane sighed. “I know, and I’m
I sorry.
wasn’t trying to make them
worry.”
“Then why did you leave?” Paulina
asked.
“I just wanted to be FREE,” Lane
explained.
“What do you mean?” asked
Violet.
“I know my life seems absolutely
marvemouse ,” Lane said. “And I am
lucky. I can very
have all the want ,
clothes I
I get to go on vacation in all the most
exclusive places, I’ve got maids and
butlers
 I always have
to:

waiting on me. But

that’s what I
not
want!”
“So what do you
Dress
.
in want?”
asked
clo
fancy the s
. . Nicky.
Lane looked into the
MOUSELETS’ eyes.
was as if she It was
trying
figure out if she couldto
trust them. “Just to be
a
regular, ordinary
mouselet
like ,” she said at
“Not to last.
you always have
someone watching
me,
making sure I follow
Stay with my bodyguard
. . . the
rules. I never get to
do — I always
anything
have
to remember that I’m
the
heir to the THRONE of
Mousitania . .
.”
It’s so
boring!
 Here, I
can:

“That doesn’t sound

too to me,” Matthew
bad
replied. Go
“You don’t” skating!
understand! cried.
Lane
“Everything
want to do isn’t proper I
for
a I go to
princess!
the can’t
movies, go
skating,
even eat a sandwich or
on
the street .
. “All the .” things that
you’ve done here Los
in
Angeles , right?” asked Go to
mo vies!
the
Colette, who was
beginning to
understand.
Lane nodded. “I
to wanted be FREE for
totally
once in my life. I came
here because this is
the
Eat a sandwich
on the
street!
movie capital of the world. This is the
place
my dreamscan come true! Is that too
to much
The princess’s squeak trembling
ask?” ,
was
and her eyes shone with
tears.
The mouselets gazed at her
sympathetically. GIGGLE .
Then Pam started
to
 “Pam, what is it?” asked Paulina,
surprised.
“I was just thinking about the fact
that mouselets wish they were
many so
princesses ,
with all the clothes, jewelry, and
fabumouse
parties. Then we meet a real princess
discover
and that all she wants is to be
a
regular mouselet — to go skating and
eat
junk food whenever she feels
like
Everyone laughed, even Lane. it!” Pam
had
broken TENSION.
the
“Let’s get out of here,” Jenna
suggested.
“Lane, if you want to spend an
evening
n o r m a l mouselet, like
come on overa
dinner. You’ve for
probably had enough of
being
alone and in disguise,
right?”
A smile spread across the princess’s
famouse Yes, thank”
snout. “ you! away from the
As they headed
stadium,
Pam let out aSIGH. “I was really
big looking
forward to seeing the rest of the
game!”
“Be patient , Pam, we’ll have
chance sooner another
or later,” Violet
laughed.
But just then shechillrun down
felt Someone was a
tail. her her and
watching
her
friends, she was sure of it! Was there
someone
besides the Thea Sisters following
Lane?

e s !
C lu M E ONE
LAN E
IS S O N G
OWI
FO LL E TH EA

T H
AND ? W HO
ERS
S IS T T B E ?
L D I
COU ?
N D WHY
A
 A STRANGER
IN THE SHADOWS

Violet turned around and checked the

parking lot, which was filled with
shadows . There didn’t seem to be
Violet still had sensation
there. But anyone
the
of being
Suddenly
watched. , she heard a tiny scrape
her left. She to turned to check a dark
corner
the parking lot. Who was of
there?
“Hey, I think
someone’s
over there,” Violet told
friends
her .
The others turned in
that d i r e c t i o. nThey
spotted a rodent who
looked
like a security guard,
with a
cap pulled low on his
head.
“Look at the symbol on his jacket!”
Colette .
whispered
“It’s the EYE that’s on the piece
same from the of
paper editing room!”
Nicky
The rodent realized he was said.
being
observed,
and turned .
quickly
away
“Hey, excuse me!” Matthew called,
a taking
few steps toward
him.
But the rodent began running in the
opposite
direction.
“Let’s follow” cried Jenna.
he him! “Maybe about the
knows something
missing
reel!” film
This time it was Pam who CHASE.
led the
In a few strides, she’d crossed the lot
and
almost reached the mysterious
rodent,
squeezed between one car and who the
next.
when Pam was about to catch him, the Just
rodent
swervedtoward the parking lot exit.
But
he didn’t fool Pam! She lunged
forward
threw herself against the TRIPPINGand
mouse,
HIM.
The others raced over to the pair,
who sprawled on the
were
ground.
“Great tackle, You’re ready to
Pam! like a pro,” play
football Nicky couldn’t
help
joking. She paw to help
extended
friend a her
up.
The unknown rodent also got to his
paws,
looking worse than a hamster who’d
just
fallen off his
wheel.
“Who are Why did you run?
you? WHAT And
does this
mean?” logo
asked Violet
all
in one breath,
pointing
to EYE printed
the
his on
clothes.
“I think I should get
out of here,” Lane murmured, stuffing
her
cap back on her head so he wouldn’t
recognize her.
“No, wait, don’t go,” the rodent
me said. “Let
explain everything to you, and to
you,
too, PRINCESS. . .”
Lanejumped . “You recognize
me?” Highness, I know
“Of course, Your
very
well who you are. In I know who
fact,
of you!” all
are
 A DOUBLE
SURPRISE

The friends were stunned. None of

them
ever seen this rodent had
before!
“MOLDY MOZZARELLA! You
better
start squeaking fast, because we don’t
have
clue who you are,”declared . a
Pam
The rodent cleared his throat. “My
name
Elliott, and I am private is
a
from investigator
Mousitania.”
The princess wasBut then . ” .
startled. “ .
The rodent nodded. “Yes, Princess
Lane, disappeared
after , the royal
you
asked me to keep offamily
track you.” STAMPING
“I knew it!” shouted
Lane,
her paw. “I bet you couldn’t wait to
find
take me home, and collect your me,
reward!”
 Elliott smiled . “I didn’t find you this
evening. I’ve been following you for
several
days.”
“But . . . but why?” asked the
princess,
astounded . “Were you going to let me
stay of completing your
here instead
mission?” “No, not at all,”
replied the rodent.
“My
mission was to
find
you and watch
over
you as long as you
stayed Los .
in
Your Angeles
parents
simply
want to make sure
you
are
safe.”
Lane was more
confused than a cat
in dog kennel. “Are
a
you
saying that my
parents
know I’m v a c a t i o nlike a
on normal
mouselet . . . and they’re okay
with
Elliottnodded it?” very
. “They love you
and they know much,
that a mouselet your
age
needs toFREE. They only asked
feel
protect PRINCESSthat and image.” I
the her
“What do you mean?” Pam
asked.
 “It’s what I was trying
to
tell you earlier,
mouselets,”
Lane explained . “When
you’re part of the royal
family, the public is
always
watching you. No one
must
see a princess doing
anything
embarrassing, y a w n i n g
like
at a press conference, or spilling on a
dress,
or . .
.” “Or following a big star around
Hollywood!” cried Colette, thinking of
the
p h o t o that showed Lane on SET of
The the
Powerpaw.
Mouselets
“Now I get it!” cried
Violet.
Everyone turned to look at her. “For
a
princess, it’s problemif you follow
a
movie crew around . . . a and an even
bigger
problem if you’re fi l m ! ”
caught on
 “What? I still don’t get it,” said
Colette.
“Leslie’s crew ended filmingLane
up they were shooting in the
day the city,
right,
Elliott?” said
Violet.
The investigator nodded.E x a c t l y .
“ do you understand why I had to
Now
take
the film? I r i s kthe whole
couldn’t world
seeing the runaway princess. We have
to
protect her privacy. If anyone realized
that
was her in the movie, it’d be a huge
story,
and all the news reporters in the
world
be trailingher around, asking would
why
run she’d
away.”
Pam smacked herself in the snout.
“Now
get it! So the eye on your cap and on I
the
scrap of paper is just your company
logo.
You are MYSTERIOUSthief!”
the sighed sheepishly. “Um . . .
Elliott
yes. sorry about
very I’m
that.”
 “So it’s coincidence that the
just door had a similar shoot
next logo,” said
Paulina.
“Yes,” said Elliott, nodding. “And I’m
sorry
I needed to trick your friend and lock
her
up . . I hope she wasn’t too”
. Jenna scared!
outraged . “How could you
my was sister that treat
way?”
“I’m truly sorry . I didn’t know
very
else what “I hope I’ll
to do,” Elliott replied.
be
to apologize in able
person.”
“You can do that when you return
to the
the crew,” Matthew STERNLY.film
said
Elliott pulled his whiskers. “But I
can’t it! There are scenes showing
return
the
princess!”
“Don’t I know just what
doworry.
,” Matthew to
assured
him.
 THE CUT OF AN
ARTIST!

The next day at dawn, FIGURES

eight
scampered into the studio. They
quickly
passed ROOMS full of cables
through and
spotlights and slipped through the
door
the editing of
room.
“Watch out for that table . . .”
warned
male a
squeak.
 “O w w w w w” ! cried a nearby
“Pam, are youmouse.
okay?”
“Yes,” she replied. “Sorry,
Matthew.”
“Remember, we must quiet as
be mice,”
Violet said. “No one can know we’re
here.”
“It’s , Violet,” Terri said. “The
deserted studio
is okay right now. Shooting won’t
start
for hour.”
another
“Come on — we’ve got things to do,”
said
Matthew. “Nicky, do you have the
film?”
Nickyrummagedthrough her purse
minute, and then for pulled out a film
a
reel
pawed it to her and
friend.
“Are you sure you can do this?”
asked
Violet.
The ratlet Of As
nodded. “ c o u r s e ! I
explained to Elliott, I only need to cut
the
scenes showLane. We just have to
that
them find
all.”
 The day before, the rodents had
convinced
the INVESTIGATOR from Mousitania
pawover the stolen to film. They’d
to delete promised
all the scenes in PRINCESS
which
LANE appeared. And the only one who
could
do a job like that was Matthew, since
mastered software
he’d for editing
the film.
The ratlet began to view each scene
and, after TAKE , delete all the
TAKE
incriminating frames. After a half
hour
work, he cried, of
“Done!”
Just then, RAN in. She’d
Paulina
keeping watch been
outside.
“A car’s coming,” she announced,
worried . “How close are
you?”
“We’re done,” Terri assured her. She
peeked outside. “Hey, that’s Leslie’s
hereearly
car. ,” she in She’s
said leftsurprise.
The rodents EDITING room
the
just as the director scurried into the
studio.
Terri and Matthew took a deep
breath
scampered right up to Leslie and
“Yo u ? !You’re still here?” the
Mousie.
director
spluttered. “I told you I didn’t want to
see
you on this
set!”
“Actually, we’re here to give you
said this,”
Terri.
Leslie raised an skeptical . But
eyebrow,
 when she opened the package, her
expressionmelted
harsh , and a smile spread
across her snout. “This is
. “Yes,” Matthew
. .” found the
said. “We
missing
film.”
“But how . . . ? Where . . . ?” Leslie
asked, but
confused
“Well . pleased.
. . it’s a long,” Terri
we’ve got a movie tosaid.
story
“But right?”
shoot,
The director narrowed her eyes and
at looked
the group of rodents. Then she
grinned.
have feelingyou rodents have “I
a
tale for the tellingquite a
. Jennalooked
. at .” her friends and
“Our is an winked.
awful lot like
story the

>
 LIKE A NORMAL
MOUSELET

The Thea said good-bye to

Sisters
Jenna, Terri, and scurried
and Matthew
back
DOWNTOWN Los Angeles. They had to
last mission:one
say good- to their
to bye
friend Lane before new home
she headed
to
Mousitania.
The day before, the princess had
made
plans to meet the Thea Sisters in her
hotel
lobby for a last farewell. But when the
mouselets arrived, there TRACE of
was
her. no
“Maybe she already left,” said
Colette.
had a flight in the early afternoon“She
. “Oh no,” Violet
. moaned. .” “We
shouldn’t
have stopped to get that slice of pizza,
Pam.
It made us late .
. “No, it wasgreat
.” idea!” cried a
a
squeak behind happy
them.
“Lane! You haven’t left yet!” Colette
said a sigh of relief. Then, looking
with
closer,
she added, “But . . . why don’t you
luggage
have ?” any
The princess was smiling wider than
a
triple-cheese sandwich. “Mouselets, I
marvemouse news. parentssaid I
have
My
could stay for another day, so
. “So let’s not waste any time!” Nicky
. .”
declared. “I’ve got perfectplan. I
the
know where we can spend s u p e r
a
afternoon!”
A moment later, the mouselets were
in zooming toward the coast. a
taxi It
dropped
them off in front of a large pier,
where
Ferris a
towered over tall
them.
wheel
 “Welcome Santa !” Nicky
to
announced. Monica
“We can visit the
aquarium, take
a walk on the ride on the merry-
beach,
round . . go-
.” “And get a banana split with melted
on cheese
top!” Pam
finished.
The mouselets grinned
and
plunged into the pier’s
of colorsand
whirl sounds.
Here
Lane could finally spend a
day fun like a normal
of
mouselet.
She agreedto a ride
even
on the Ferris
When the t i m e finally
wheel.
came to say good-bye, a sad
look
passed over Lane’s snout. The
mouselets
immediately understood what their
new
friend was thinking, and they
squeezed
aroundher.
 “Lane,” said Colette, “your parents
were
very kind to give you an extra day, but
whole world has been holding its
the
breath
waiting for
you.”
“I know — it’s time to go back. It’s
just . . . I wish thattrip weren’t
that
this
Lane replied. “As soon as over,”
I get back
home,
I’ll go back to my old life, and I’ll be
so
lonely!”
The Thea noticed a tear
tracks down hermaking
Sisters
cheek.
“You’re wrong. You won’t be alone.
You us now! And true friends are
have
forever ,” Colette
The Thea said. Sisters wrapped their
paws
around the princess in a great big.
hug
Lane grinned and returned their
embrace.
 PREMIERE OF A
MOUSTERPIECE!

Six months later, the Thea Sisters

were back
in HOLLYWOOD. Leslie Mousie invited
had premiere of The
them to the world
Powerpaw
Mouselets!
Jenna picked them up at the airport,
and all hurried back to houseto
they
her
change. They had just slipped into
their most
elegantclothes when a horn honked
the out in
street.
“That’s our limousine! Leslie sent it.
She’s
so happy about film’s
the
grated
premiere
that she’s throwing around money like
mozzarella!” Jenna said,
“Wow, I feel like astar
winking. ,” Pam said
real
they scrambled as
in.
 A half hour later, they reached the
movie As they hopped out of the
theater.
limo,
Violet started scan the.
to “I think I know
crowd
who you’re looking
Vi for,
. . .” Colette
teased.
“What are you talking about? I’m
not
looking for anyone!” her friend
replied,
blushingto the roots of her fur. “Just
looking CELEBRITIES.”
for
“Oh, really?” Colette SLYLY . “Then
said probably don’t care that
you
Matthew’s
over there . right
. “Where?” .” Violet immediately
replied.
Then she saw him. The young
assistant
director was dressedeleganttuxedo.
in “I’m so happy to an see you again,
Violet,” said. “I hope LIKE the
Matthew
you
cut!” final
He led her toward one of the front
rows.
But someone blocked their way,
“It
shouting, can’tIt’s aIt’s
a
be! cat-
tragedy!
”
astrophe!
“Leslie,what happened?” asked
Terri.
“Is there
problem with the
a
Matthew projector?”
asked.
“No! I brokea
just heel!”
Everyone burst out laughing. After a
moment of surprise, Leslie joined in.
“Maybe
I was e x a g g e r a t i n about
g
cat-astrophe . . .” she the
“Just keep calm scurryon,” Terri
admitted.
and
declared.
They all sat down together. The
wastheater
packed— everywhere the
mouselets
looked, there were movie fans, actors,
and
directors.
Two hours, the THE
END appeared on words
later the screen. The
three scurried
heroines onstage.
Thunderous
applause greeted them. Then it was
Leslie’s
turn to take a
bow.
From front row, the Thea
the
looked on, Sisters
beaming.
They had found new
solved a mystery, and
friends,
saved
a movie
mousterpiece !
Don’t miss
any
Thea
Sisters
adventures!

Up
Next!
Check
out
my
fabumouse
special
editions!
He is a —Geronimo
ancient ancestor!
cavemouse He runs the
Stilton’s
newspaper
stone in the prehistoric
of Old Mouse City. From dealing
village
dinosaurs
with to dodging
his life in the Stone Age
meteorites,
of
is full
adventure!
 MEET
GERONIMO STILTONIX
He is a spacemouse — the
Geronimo
Stilton of a parallel universe!
He
captain of the spaceship is .
MouseStar
While flying through the cosmos, he 1
visits
distant planets and meets crazy
aliens.
His adventures are out of this
world!
 Meet

I, Geronimo , have a lot of

Stilton
friends, but none mouse
spooky as my
as
Creepella von CaCklefur! friend
She is
enchanting mysterious an
mouse with a
and
bat Bitewing pet
. Yikes! I’m a’fraidy
named real and
mouse, but even ICreepella
think
family her I can’t
a w f u l l yfascinating.
are
for you to read allwait
Creepella in
about
fa-mouse-ly andspectacularly these
tales!
funny spooky
 Is it
s aSisters
The Thea b t a are
g evisiting
? a friend
in
sunny California — and she invites
them
the to
set of a movie in Hollywood! The
mice
love being around famouse and
fabumouse
directors and actors as they’re working. But
then an !
important reel of film is stolen from the studio
Can Sisters catch the thief and save the
Thea
the movie?

Nicky is always in a
mood goodwhen she’s
outdoors.
coletteis energetic and
of great
full
ideas.
pamelais a
who peacemaker
can’t stand
arguments.
pauliNaloves traveling
helping and other
rodents.
Violet is detail-oriented
always andopen to new
things.
www.scholastic.com/geronimostilton
www.geronimostilton.com

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