A Year of Mouse Tales

By Vicki Davis Thompson

What will Malcom and Gavin do next? Will they be caught during a sneak and peek? Can Mamie and Gabby follow through with their plan to get even with their brothers? Will their parents be able to convince them to follow the rules? How will the community they live in deal with the children’s escapades?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jan 30, 2023
• ISBN: 9781669847922

Vicki Davis Thompson

After graduating with a bachelor of science degree, Mrs. Thompson went on to get a master’s degree in developmental reading. She spent thirty-four years in a classroom, primarily in middle school, teaching in the communication arts field. She is an ardent fan of the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals. She is an avid reader and is attempting to learn how to crochet, while her cat, Moe, prefers to tangle the yarn. She has been married to her husband, Steve, for over forty-six years. They have a daughter, Jennifer, and granddaughter, Emmalyn, who are the apples of their eyes. A Year of Mouse Tales is her first children’s book, and she hopes to continue writing about these creative and mischievous characters.

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Copyright © 2023 by Vicki Davis Thompson.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted

in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,

recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,

without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the

product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance

to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 01/30/2023

Xlibris

844-714-8691

www.Xlibris.com

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CONTENTS

Foreword

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Thanks to all of those who believed in me.

FOREWORD

As an avid reader and a teacher of literature, it was with great delight I read my friend Vicki’s Mouse Tales. Vicki and I taught together, and I knew her creativity and vision would make for a great read.

What fun it was to read of her mouse families’ escapades. This book is sure to delight youngsters, while at the same time, it introduces them to our traditional holiday celebrations. My grandson is always sad when a holiday is over and asks, What can I get excited over next? I am looking forward to sharing this book with him.

Dee Moehle

PREFACE

Tales can be passed from generation to generation containing knowledge learned through experience in stories told orally. They can be based on traditions surrounding holidays or through legends. Our tales contain all of these and take place in a community of mice living in a drafty old house over the course of a year. The neighbors must deal with schemes dreamed up by children from three families, the reactions of their parents, and the consequences that involve the entire group. The tales reveal how the families meet, what they learn from knowledge passed down through the ages, and the dangers of humans and other animals. The mischievous children create situations that cause problems for themselves and their parents and endanger the mouse society they live in.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thanks to my granddaughter, Emmalyn Downs, and her second-grade teacher, Karen Mershon, for being supportive of me while I was creating and introducing Mr. Mouse and his family so many years ago. Also, my gratitude to Dee Moehle for reading my manuscript and suggesting changes and new adventures for the characters.

INTRODUCTION

These tales are based upon the actions and events involving three families of mice who live in the same old drafty house. It reveals how they meet and the knowledge and traditions they acquire through the descriptions and accounts passed down through their families and friends over the ages. It also brings to light the incidents and adventures their children create, causing turmoil for their parents and the community they live with over a twelve-month period.

JANUARY

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The holidays had passed. The decorations were packed away for another year. The drafty old house seemed to have lost its sparkle. The glittery appearance and the glorious smells were gone from the daily routine. Everything was so drab after having been so busy and full of life such a brief time ago.

Marge and Marvin Mouse and their children Mamie and Malcom sat together at the dinner table, grumbling about the cold that had settled into the very heart of the old house. They dreamed of a warm space to call their own—a place where they could be snug and cozy.

When Marvin and Marge moved into the old house, they chose the first suitable place they saw to live in. They hadn’t had the kids yet, so the task of finding a roomy, comfortable space didn’t seem to be necessary. However, over the years, they had outgrown the capacity of their area.

Their home was close to the back door, and every time the door was opened, a breeze blew through. It wasn’t bad in the warm months, but when it was cold, it felt like the wind sucked every ounce of warmth from their bodies. Therefore, Marvin decided to dedicate his nightly sneak and peek to finding a warm comfortable area to which the family could move.

Be careful, Marvin! Don’t take any unnecessary risks! Marge pleaded.

I’ll be careful, I promise. This is a critical mission for all of us, Marvin replied sincerely.

Dad, let me go with you! I can be an excellent lookout! Malcom said excitedly.

Marge and Marvin looked at Malcom and exclaimed, NO WAY!

Marvin continued, I can’t watch you and concentrate on what I need to do! You would be a distraction I can’t afford to have at this critical time.

But, Dad . . .

Marge stomped her paw. The answer is no! Don’t ask again! Malcom sulked back to his room, dragging his paws and mumbling, This isn’t over yet!

After the inhabitants of the old house settled in for the night, Marvin appeared at the door to begin his quest. He quietly scrambled down the hallway to the dining room, looked it over, and removed it from the list of places to live. The humans used it every day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. No good, too many humans. Next, he scampered to the den. Venturing too far into the room, he had to hide quickly behind the sofa. He was staring at the humans who were staring at a box on a table that had pictures that moved and talked. This would be just the distraction Malcom needed to get into trouble. The den was a definite no. He tiptoed to the bedrooms. They wouldn’t work because they were cluttered with dirty clothes, smelly shoes, and you know, that dreadful human smell. Next, he scurried to the bathroom. It offered warmth and water, but the smell was awful! It smelled of number two . . . poo! Ugh! Marge would never agree to live somewhere that smelled like a sewer. Finally, he darted to the kitchen. The temperature was perfect, but would it be too busy for his family to come and go? That worried him.

Little did Marvin know that Malcom had been trailing him the entire time he had been searching. Malcom followed as closely as possible, yet far enough back that his father wouldn’t hear or see him. He loved the den! The talking box fascinated him. He wondered if his family would ever have one. That would be awesome!

Someone dropped a piece of popcorn on the floor. Malcom thought he should sample it. Just as he was going to take a bite, a hand came from nowhere and almost scooped him up instead of the popcorn. He came within a whisker’s width of being caught. He now had firsthand knowledge of one of the dangers in the house. He ran as fast as a lightning strike back home. He barely beat his