Mouse Scouts, page 1
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THIS IS A BORZOI BOOK PUBLISHED BY ALFRED A. KNOPF
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2016 by Sarah Dillard
Melody for The Acorn Scout Song by Frank Fighera, lyrics by Sarah Dillard
All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.
Knopf, Borzoi Books, and the colophon are registered trademarks of Penguin Random House LLC.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Dillard, Sarah.
Mouse Scouts / Sarah Dillard.—First edition.
pages cm.
Summary: To earn their Sow It and Grow It badge, Violet, Tigerlily, and the other Mouse Scouts plant a vegetable garden.
ISBN 978-0-385-75599-3 (trade) — ISBN 978-0-385-75600-6 (lib. bdg.) —ISBN 978-0-385-75602-0 (trade pbk.) — ISBN 978-0-385-75601-3 (ebook)
[1. Scouting (Youth activity)—Fiction. 2. Vegetable gardening—Fiction. 3. Gardening—Fiction. 4. Mice—Fiction.] I. Title.
PZ7.D57733Mo 2015
[Fic]—dc23
2014001030
The illustrations were created using pencil and digital media.
January 2016
This book has been officially leveled by using the F&P Text Level GradientTM Leveling System.
Random House Children’s Books supports the First Amendment and celebrates the right to read.
eBook ISBN 9780385756013
v4.1
a
For Lori Nowicki
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Chapter 1 Violet and Tigerlily
Chapter 2 The Summer Project
Chapter 3 Seed Safari
Chapter 4 Nothing but Dirt
Chapter 5 Sprouts
Chapter 6 Bugs, Slugs, and Grubs
Chapter 7 Tigerlily Fights Back
Chapter 8 Vegetable Thieves
Chapter 9 Tigerlily Takes a Stand
Chapter 10 The Plan
Epilogue The Badge Ceremony
About the Author
Violet placed her acorn cap on her head. It made her forehead itch and her ears stick out, but that didn’t matter. She was finally going to be an Acorn Scout! She had been waiting for this moment her whole life. Now she just had to wait for Tigerlily and they’d be on their way to their first meeting.
Violet and Tigerlily had been best friends since the first day of Buttercups. Violet was the quietest mouse at the meeting, and Tigerlily could not sit still. Miss Primrose, the Buttercup leader, made them sit together. “Maybe you’ll rub off on each other,” she said. They didn’t, but Violet thought Tigerlily was funny, and Tigerlily loved making Violet laugh.
But Buttercups was for little mice, and they were big mice now. Last week, they had had the Butterfly ceremony, which was when the Buttercups moved up to the next level of Scouting. Violet had been nervous because the ceremony involved live butterflies. Eek! But with Tigerlily’s help, she got through it. And now they were Acorns. Or they would be if Tigerlily would only hurry up and get here already.
Violet’s nose twitched, as it always did when she was nervous. “What if Tigerlily doesn’t make it? What if we’re late?” Violet had heard that Miss Poppy, the Acorn Scout leader, was very strict. There were rumors that she had once sent a Mouse Scout back to Buttercups for forgetting the words to the Mouse Scout pledge. Getting sent back to Buttercups would be horrible. Being a Buttercup last year was fine, but the thought of having to sing the Buttercup song one more time made her shudder. And while Violet loved art and was very crafty, she had had enough of flower-petal collages. She was ready for new experiences.
Violet’s thoughts were interrupted by a loud thwack! Thwacks were never a good thing. The last time she’d heard that sound, her fellow Buttercup Petunia had sprung a mousetrap. She had barely escaped. Her tail would be crooked for the rest of her life. Violet started. “Oh no! Tigerlily!” Then she relaxed. If anyone knew their way around a mousetrap, it was Tigerlily.
Sure enough, a few seconds later, Tigerlily squeezed through Violet’s front door.
Her acorn cap was already crooked and her uniform was wrinkled. “Yuck,” she said, holding up a piece of cheese. “It’s dried-up Gorgonzola. It’s been a long time since anyone has bothered with that trap. You don’t have any cheddar, do you?”
“Tigerlily!” Violet squeaked. “This is no time for cheese. We’ll never make it. We’re going to be late. Miss Poppy will send us back to Buttercups. I can’t go back to Buttercups!”
“No problem,” said Tigerlily. “I know a shortcut.”
“Really?” Violet was suspicious. She knew about Tigerlily’s shortcuts.
“Honest!” said Tigerlily. “We’ll be there in no time!”
The shortcut took longer than Violet would have liked, but as Tigerlily promised, they slipped into the basement of the Left Meadow Elementary School with a minute to spare.
THE ACORN SCOUT
Now you are an Acorn Scout!
The Acorn
Acorns are important to mice. Not only are they wonderful to eat—try roasting them or grinding them into flour to make acorn pancakes—they are also used for bowls and cups.
But the acorn is much more than that! It is a powerful symbol of knowledge and growth. Just as the tiny acorn will one day be a mighty oak tree, you are beginning a journey to becoming a great Mouse Scout!
When you meet other Mouse Scouts, always greet them with the Mouse Scout salute followed by the sign of the Acorn. This way you will be recognized as a Scout and accepted as a friend. Little Buttercups will look to you for guidance, while older Sunflower Scouts will help you whenever you need it.
The Mouse Scout Pledge
On my honor as an Acorn,
I promise to be
trustworthy and strong,
thrifty and brave,
and helpful to all in need.
The Acorn Scout Song
We are Acorns, tiny and small.
But we’ll grow up to be mighty and tall.
We’re quick with a plan,
and we help when we can.
We love our friends and are kind to all.
Violet and Tigerlily were the last to arrive. Miss Poppy looked at them. She was even scarier than Violet had imagined. Please don’t send me back to Buttercups, please don’t send me back to Buttercups, she thought.
Miss Poppy cleared her throat. “Before we start, I want to remind everyone that this is not Buttercups anymore. You are Acorns. Tardiness will not be tolerated. Now let’s all recite the Mouse Scout pledge.”
Violet breathed for the first time since entering the room and joined the other Scouts in reciting the pledge.
On my honor as an Acorn,
I promise to be
trustworthy and strong,
thrifty and brave,
and helpful to all in need.
After the pledge, Miss Poppy went over a few business matters.
“Acorns meet weekly in this space at this time. As I have mentioned, I expect punctuality. Meetings will consist of reciting the pledge, reviewing any business matters that need attention, occasional short presentations on specified themes, and crafts and activities. We will close each meeting with the singing of the Acorn Scout song. You are expected to help tidy our area before you leave. In addition, this summer we will be working on a large project, which I will introduce later in this meeting. This project will require us to spend extra time beyond the scope of the weekly meetings, which you are still expected to attend. If you successfully participate in this project, you will earn a badge. Remember, badges are awarded on merit. You have to be present, and you have to participate. Be sure to study your Mouse Scout Handbook for proper care and cleaning of your Mouse Scout uniform. Wear your uniform to all Mouse Scout functions. When you take it off, brush it and hang it properly. Your uniform consists of your acorn cap, your neck scarf, which has many useful purposes besides decorative, your sash…”
Violet started to take notes, but her mind wandered as Miss Poppy droned on and on. Violet looked around the room at the other Scouts. She already knew everyone from Buttercups. Tigerlily was fidgeting beside her.
Hyacinth looked bored, but her uniform was crisp and perfect.
Petunia was carefully hiding her crooked tail.
Cricket had a few crumbs in her lap, which she nibbled on when she thought no one was looking.
Junebug sniffled and reached in her sleeve for a small piece of tissue.
Violet caught Tigerlily’s eye and smiled. No one was listening to Miss Poppy.
“THWEEEEEEET!”
Violet jumped out of her seat. She had never been so scared in her life! When she could finally breathe again, she glanced around the room. Everyone was sitting up straight with stunned looks on their faces.
Miss Poppy smiled. “THAT is your emergency whistle, which you should wear at all times. This was a demonstration only. Do NOT use your whistle unless there is an emergency. Repeated use of the whistle can be damaging to
“Now that we’ve covered that, it is time to move on. The special project I mentioned will be creating and maintaining a vegetable garden, working toward the ‘Sow It and Grow It’ badge. It will be GLORIOUS!”
Violet couldn’t believe her luck. She had wanted to start a vegetable garden ever since she read the section “Acorn Scouts and Self-Sufficiency” in her Mouse Scout Handbook. She could see herself in a garden. She wanted it more than anything.
Tigerlily thought it was a horrible idea. As far as she was concerned, gardening was hot, itchy, hard work. She wanted no part of it. Besides, she didn’t even like vegetables.
“Your assignment for this afternoon is to scavenge for seeds,” said Miss Poppy. “Report back here with them tomorrow morning, and we will begin our garden.”
YOUR VEGETABLE GARDEN
Starting a Vegetable Garden: Introduction
For most mice, food comes from cupboards, countertops, and the occasional nut scavenged from the forest. But have you ever thought of growing food yourself? Nothing is as satisfying as starting a vegetable garden. Imagine serving your family a stuffed Brussels sprout or a cherry tomato roast that you prepared from vegetables you grew from seed. Your family will appreciate your hard work as they delight in meals made from your bountiful harvest.
And best of all, gardening is easy! All you need is dirt, some seeds, water, sunshine, and patience. Your summer will be filled with excitement as you watch nature at work. Before your eyes, you will see a bare piece of ground transform into a luxuriant garden.
After the meeting, the Mouse Scouts lingered outside of the Left Meadow Elementary School.
“I’ve never been so bored,” said Hyacinth.
“Me neither,” said Petunia. She was always trying to be just like Hyacinth.
“She’s not like Miss Primrose,” Tigerlily said. Miss Primrose had been cuddly and kind…everything Miss Poppy was not.
Violet agreed with Tigerlily. She thought Miss Poppy was scary. But the meeting was over, and they had work to do.
“Where do we get seeds?” she asked.
“There are usually some seeds by the bagel bin,” said Cricket. She lived in the grocery store and always had great snacks.
“Wrong kind of seeds, unless we want to grow poppy and sesame bagels,” said Hyacinth. “We need vegetable seeds.”
“Sesame isn’t even a plant, is it?” asked Tigerlily.
“Who knows,” said Petunia.
Junebug knew. She lived in the library and had read 1,872 books so far.
“Sesame is a flowering plant. It grows in tropical regions and is cultivated for its edible seeds, which grow in pods.”
“Oh. Thank you, Junebug, that’s interesting,” said Violet. “But how are we going to find VEGETABLE seeds? If we don’t show up with seeds tomorrow, I just know that Miss Poppy will send us right back to Buttercups!”
Tigerlily remembered seeing some seed packets in the shed, where she and her family spent summer vacations. Tigerlily loved the cool dirt floors and sleeping in nests on the sweet-smelling grass they brought in from outside. It was almost like camping. Tigerlily had spent hours exploring the lawn mowers and bicycle tires. In fact, exploring the shed would be much more fun than gardening.
“I’ve got an idea,” said Tigerlily. “Follow me.”
The Scouts followed Tigerlily down the sidewalk and across the street. They scurried into Tigerlily’s shed, squeaking in delight. There was so much to see that they almost forgot what they were there for. On the floor next to a watering can and a coiled-up hose was a gardening basket. “This looks promising!” said Violet, climbing into the basket with Petunia and Hyacinth close behind. There were tools, a roll of twine, and some gloves inside but no seeds. “Oh no!” said Violet. “Now what are we going to do?”
“Relax!” said Tigerlily from under a bench. “Look what I found!”
Tigerlily dragged crumpled seed packages into the open. They looked like trash, but when she opened one, there were still seeds in it. “Jackpot!” she said.
“I’m starved,” said Cricket, pulling something out of her backpack. “Does anyone want some cheese?”
The Mouse Scouts pulled their sit-upons out of their backpacks and gathered in a circle. Cricket broke the cheese into six pieces and passed it around.
“Nothing says snack like Monterey Jack!” said Tigerlily.
“None for me,” said Junebug. “I’m lactose-intolerant.”
The rest of the Scouts nibbled happily. The shed was quiet except for a strange rumbling that sounded almost like…purring!
Tigerlily looked up and listened, her whiskers quivering. Sure enough, high on a shelf, there was a sleeping cat. Tigerlily didn’t trust cats, even sleeping ones. “Cat!” she whispered to the other Scouts. “Run!”
“Don’t forget the seeds!” squeaked Violet.
FINDING AND CHOOSING SEEDS FOR YOUR VEGETABLE GARDEN
Before you plant your garden, you must decide which plants you would like to grow. Try to choose vegetables that you can easily carry.
Corn, squash, eggplants, and tomatoes, while delicious, are very unwieldy. Peas, beans, radishes, cherry tomatoes, baby beets, and carrots are a better choice for the gardening Acorn Scout.
If you are lucky enough to live near humans who garden, seeds will be easily found in the garage or garden shed. Seed packets do not weigh much, but they are bulky. If you plan on taking the entire packet, it is best to have some other mice with you. You may want to tear open a corner of the packet and take just what you need. Be sure that the seeds are labeled so you know what they are. Bird feeders are another source of seeds, but with those you may be limited to a garden of sunflowers and corn.
Bright and early the next morning, the Mouse Scouts met outside of the Left Meadow Elementary School with their seed packets. Violet handed out gardening gloves she had made the night before from an old sock. She had found it one day, bunched behind the dryer in the laundry room of the house where she lived, and knew it would come in handy.
Junebug was covered head to toe in mosquito netting. “It’s a precaution,” she said.
“From what?” asked Tigerlily.
“Bugs, mites, sun, dust, and pollen,” said Junebug. “I have sensitivities.”
Miss Poppy instructed them to get some gardening tools out of the utensil bin in the cafeteria. When they came back outside, she led them to a weedy corner of the playground.
“This will be our GARDEN,” she said. “Before we get started, a few words. Gardening is not all sunshine and strawberries. It is hard WORK. You have to clear the plot of weeds, roots, and rocks. By the time you are done, I don’t want to see ANYTHING. Not a dandelion. Not a blade of grass. Not a pebble. Nothing but DIRT.”
The Mouse Scouts got to work pulling out weeds and raking the soil with their gardening forks. It was hot, itchy, hard work. “I knew I wouldn’t like this,” Tigerlily muttered. But Violet was determined. She wasn’t going to let mean old Miss Poppy or a little hard work bother her. She was an Acorn Scout, and they were creating the garden of her dreams. It was going to be wonderful, she just knew it!
Finally, the garden was cleared. “Not bad, for new Acorns,” Miss Poppy admitted as she bent down to pick up a tiny pebble. “But it’s not a garden until we plant something. Let’s see your seeds.”
The Scouts lined up their seed packets.
“Oh my!” Miss Poppy said. “Cherry tomatoes! Beans! Peas! Carrots! Radishes! Brussels sprouts! Each of you will pick a seed packet to plant. That vegetable will be your responsibility.”
