Summary

In “Mouse,” Mouse’s guinea pig had babies, but none of the babies survived. Mouse was sad. She could tell that Fake Mom was glad that the babies did not live. Mouse suspected that Fake Mom had done something to make the babies die.

Mouse began to think of her stepmother as a hawk because hawks were cruel and did not care what they ate or who they hurt. Fake Mom was meaner and meaner to Mouse, especially when her father was gone to his office or was busy talking on the phone.

Mouse and her father had spent lots of time playing games together before Fake Mom arrived. One of these games was one they made up that was called the Statue Game. They had also gone camping together frequently. After Fake Mom arrived, she insisted that Mouse’s father stay home...