Mouse and Mole, A Winter Wonderland, Wong Yee [books suggested by bill gates .TXT] 📗

left.

Mole rolled to his right.

Mole rolled right off the bed—

whump! He lay on the floor

like a cocoon in his blankets.

"I am as bored as a turtle in its shell.

I wonder what Mouse is up to?"

Thump, thump, thump! hopped Mole

across the floor. He opened the door

a crack— whoosh! A gust of frosty

air nipped his snout. Mole saw Mouse

headed down the path. Mouse was

not alone. Someone was following

his friend. "Yikes!" cried Mole.

"Stranger danger!"

Mole rummaged through his closet.

He pulled on snow pants. He tugged

on boots: thup, thup!

"Rats, no hat!"

muttered Mole.

He rummaged around some more.

"Phooey! No scarf or mittens either."

Mole buttoned his coat and ran outside.

He followed the stranger that

was following Mouse.

The tracks led Mole to the pond.

He ducked down in the cattails. ZOOM!

Mouse flew past with the stranger

in tow. "Yippee!" she yelped.

The stranger had a smile on its face.

Mole nearly toppled out on the ice.

"That is no stranger!" he gulped.

"Mouse is with a friend ...

and that friend is not ME!"

ZOOM! Mouse and her partner zipped

by once more. Mole rubbed his snout.

Something about this new friend

was awfully familiar— ZOOM!

"Why... that is my hat!" said Mole.

ZOOM-ZOOM! "And those are my

mittens and matching scarf too!"

Mole watched in disbelief as

Mouse and her partner

made perfect figure eights,

forward and backwards.

Together, they skidded to

a stop. Mouse whirled!

Mouse twirled!

The new friend just watched.

"Hah!" Mole huffed. "Easy-peasy!"

He darted out onto the ice.

Left, right, left, right! tottered Mole

across the pond. Mole whirled!

Mole twirled! His arms began

to windmill.

Mole was out of control! "Gangway!"

he hollered— WHAM! Mole slid

smack into Mouse's partner.

OOF!

The snowman's

head toppled off.

It rolled across the ice.

Mouse stared at Mole.

Mole stared at the headless snowman.

"I am sorry, Mouse," mumbled Mole.

"I was showing off to your new friend."

Mouse could not help giggling.

"You do not have to be jealous

of a snowman," she laughed.

"Even if it does rather look like you!"

Together, Mouse and Mole put the

snowman's head back on top.

"Mole, meet Sno-Mole," said Mouse.

"Sno-Mole, this is Mole,

my neighbor and best friend."

Mole's face turned crimson like

winter berries. He gave Sno-Mole

a high-five. The twig arm flew off.

It skittered across the ice.

"Whoops!" said Mole.

He stuck the twig back in place.

SLAP

"Br-r!" The frosty air

made Mole shiver.

"May I have my hat back?"

said Mole to Sno-Mole.

Mouse ducked behind the snowman.

"I do not need a hat," squeaked Sno-Mole.

Mole stuffed his paws in his pockets.

"What about the scarf and

m-m-mittens?" he chattered.

"I do not need a scarf.

I do not need mittens either,"

giggled Sno-Mole.

"They make me feel as snug...

as a bug in a rug!"

Mole yanked the hat

on his head.

Mole tied the scarf

around his neck.

He tugged on mittens and grabbed

Mouse's paw. "What about skating?"

chuckled Mole.

Mouse picked up the rope to the sled.

Together, they circled the pond.

Mouse, Mole, and Sno-Mole

made perfect figure eights,

forward and backwards.

"Yippee!" yelped Mouse.

"Yahoo!" yelled Mole.

Sno-Mole just smiled.

Sno-Mouse

Dig! Dig! Dig! Mole shoveled snow

from the door. Scrape! Scrape! Scrape!

He cleared the snow off the steps.

Mole spotted Sno-Mole in the yard.

Mouse's snowman seemed lonely.

Mole tapped his boot.

Mole rubbed his snout.

He came up with a plan!

It began with a ball of snow...

Mouse gazed out the window.

She saw Mole beside her snowman.

Someone else was down there too!

Mouse wondered who it could be.

Quickly, she pulled on

her snow pants and

tugged on her boots:

thup, thup!

Mouse yanked a hat over her ears

and wrapped a scarf around her neck.

She buttoned her coat,

found mittens that matched,

and rushed out the door.

"Surprise!" shouted Mole.

Mouse clapped her mittens in delight.

Mole had built a snowman of his own!

Mouse took a step backwards.

The snowman looked familiar.

The snowman reminded her

of someone she knew...

"Mouse, meet Sno-Mouse,"

said Mole, "Sno-Mole's neighbor

and best friend!"

Mouse could not help giggling.

She gave Sno-Mouse a high-five.

The twig arm fell off.

"Whoops!" said Mouse.

She stuck the twig

back in place.

"I'll be right back," said Mole.

He returned dragging something

through the snow.

"What about sledding?" Mole chuckled.

Mouse ducked behind Sno-Mouse.

Mole hid beside Sno-Mole.

"Bumping-jumping on a hill?

What if we should take a spill?

You go ahead, enjoy the ride.

We'll be waiting, side by side!"

sang Sno-Mole and Sno-Mouse.

And that is exactly what they did!

ZOOM! Mole and Mouse sped

down the hill. Mole and Mouse

hit a bump. The sled soared

through the air.

"Yahoo!" yelled Mole.

"Yippee!" yelped Mouse.

Ker-THUNK!

The sled crashed and flipped over.

Mouse and Mole tumbled

down the slope.

Snow crusted their hats!

Snow filled their boots!

Snow got into their

warm winter coats!

Mouse and Mole's

mittens were sopping wet.

Mouse shivered.

"I feel like a Mouse-cicle."

Mole shivered. "I feel like a Mole-cicle."

"Whatever are we doing out on a

d-d-day like this?" they chattered.

Together, they trudged

back to the oak.

Mouse and Mole huddled in front

of the fire. They wrapped themselves

in blankets like cocoons.

Whee! whistled the teapot.

Thump, thump, thump! hopped Mouse

and Mole across the floor.

Mouse took the teapot off the stove.

Mole fetched the cookie jar.

Mouse sipped. Mole nibbled.

Mouse nibbled. Mole sipped.

Together they sat gazing

out the window.

A snowflake drifted past.

Then another ... and another.

Outside, the oak tree was

trimmed with icicles;