Greta and Oliver Series

Greta and Oliver: Escaping Fortuna is the first in a series of books about the mouse family of Greta and Oliver.  Their home in very near the redwood coast of northern California, in the beautiful village of Ferndale.  The time is 1932.  Times are tough in their burrough beneath the farmer's house. Due to a sortage of living space, they must relocate...a decision which leads them on an extraordinary journey.  With their six tiny, young children, they embark into danger and peril from sources they could not have imagined.  Staying alive and keeping the family together become their highest priorities. In the telling of their story, the narrative goes to great lengths to allow the reader to "see" the world through the eyes and minds of these small, defenseless creatures.  Kindergarten teachers find it a captivating book for their students to listen to.  Readers of all ages relate to and come to care about these furry little characters, though the book is within reach of a strong third-grade reader.  Middle shool and even younger high school readers enjoy it as well.

He entered the dining car of the Southern Pacific " Coast Daylight", an attitude of self-importance dripping from his thin moustache. He acted as if he owned the entire train, though he was only a passenger. He had business to transact. He was in possession of a priceless, ornate necklace, which he had removed from a museum in Mexico City. His name was Spaulding...or at least that's what he told most people.  He had made arrangements with the train's head chef, Williams, for the safekeeping of the jewels, anticipating that the police would search the train while it stopped overnight in Oakland. He rightly assumed that the FBI in San Diego had contacted every major city from there to Seattle. Greta watched the two men from her hiding place below one of the counters in the kitchen. She had learned her way around the great train since Oliver, she, and Levi had moved abord the passenger train some months before. As Spaulding opened the shiny wooden case and lifted the necklace to show Williams, the entire room came to life, filled with glittering lights from the dazzling stones which made up this exquisite and irreplacable piece of Mexican art.  Shafts of white light danced across every surface. Williams stammered nervously as he stared at the necklace.  "I sure will take care of that, sir!" Mr. Spaulding sneered, "Yes...you certainly will, if you know what's good for you. Find the best hiding place and secure it there. I will be back tonight to see that you have followed my instructions. Do not disappoint me." He turned on his heel and walked out of the dining car, Williams staring after him and gulping as he wondered if this man was as dangerous and unforgiving as he appeared to be. He would not chance finding out. Greta knew that she had to get back to the baggage car, where her family lived, and tell Oilver what she had seen and heard. She began the extremely frightening trip toward the coupling between the dining car and the baggage car.  She had almost died only a few minutes earlier when coming from her home in the baggage car to the dining car. The wind caused by the moving train had picked up her tiny body and slammed her against the wall of the dining car.  She was grateful to be alive. Now,she had to once again cross the open space between the two cars.   

"Greta! Follow me!" Oliver turned and ran. He knew that if they turned to the right, they would be leading the huge, persian cat to their children. To the left, they would be trapped. Either way, the whole family would be killed by the cat, Princess Nightshade. The train was just beginning to pull out of Monterey Station, gaining speed with each passing second. Their only chance of saving their children was to run directly out the wide-open, sliding door of the baggage car that was their home.  The baggage clerk had not had time to close it yet.  Oliver looked into Greta's eyes and they both understood what they had to do to protect their children. As the cat crept closer, they turned toward the open doorway and sprinted out into the darkness.  Jimmy, Greta and Oliver's son, saw the whole thing...his parents running full speed out the large opening in the side of the baggage car.  His mouth hung open. He couldn't believe what he had just seen. His parents were gone. The cat had sprung at the two mice just as they ran out the door.  Her momentum had carried her to a point where she could either tumble out the door or she could jump. Stopping was no longer an option. She chose jumping rather than falling...more dignified, she thought. She sailed out into the night air and disappeared. Even as she flew through the darkness, she asked herself why she done such a dangerous thing. This was not at all in keeping with her life of pampered luxury. Levi, the baggage car dog, and Hathaway, the baggage clerk, stared in disbelief. Levi's big old heart broke, his best friends had just jumped from the train. Hathaway could think only of having watched his career disappear, just as Princess NIghtshade had done.  The cat's owner, Mrs. Dalrymple, would see to it that he would be fired from the train.  She was wealthy and powerful. Levi and Hathaway sat on the floor of the baggage car, staring out into complete darkness, the only lights being the distant homes and businesses of Monterey, passing their view as the "Coast Daylight" passenger train headed south.