( * (ak Geronino Stition aoe LETTERS Ss mMSCHOLASTICI'm Yeronime Milton's sister. As I’m sure you know from my brother's bestselling novels, I'ma special correspondent for The Rodent’s Gazette, Mouse Island’s most famouse newspaper. Unlike my ‘fraidy mouse brother, | absolutely adore traveling, having adventures, and meeting rodents from all around the world! The adventure | want to tell you about begins at Mouseford Academy, the school | went to when | was f a young mouseling. | had such a great experience there asa student that | came back to teach 4 journalism class. When | returned as a grown mouse, | met five really special students: Colette, Nicky, Pamela, Paulina, and © Violet. You could hardly imagine five more different wt mouselings, but they became great friends right away. And they liked me so much that they decided to name @ their group after me: the Thea Sisters! | was so touched by that, | decided to write about their adventures. So turn * the page to read a fabumouse adventure about the * THEA S?STERS! *, fet. * ye)ni@Ky PF Name: Nicky Nickname: Nic Home: Australia Secret ambition: Wants to Loves: Open spaces and ni Strengths: She is always in a goo she’s outdoors! Weaknesses: She can't sit still! Secret: Nicky is claustrophobic — she can't stand being in small, tight places. be an ecologist. ature. d mood, as long as; Name: Colette COLETTE Nickname: It’s Colette, please. (She ca Home: France Secret ambition: her appearance, § Loves: The color n't stand nicknames.) & Colette is very particular about he wants to be a fashion writer, pink, Strengths: She's energetic and full of great ideas. . Weaknesses: She's always late! Secret: To relax, there's nothing Colette likes more than a manicure and pedicure,Name: Violet Vio LET Nickname: Vi Home: China Secret ambition: Wants to become a great violinist. Loves: Books! She is a real intellectual, just like my brother, Geronimo. Strengths: She’s detail-oriented and always open to new things. Weaknesses: She is a bit sensitive and can’t stand being teased. And if she doesn’t get enough sleep, she can be a real grouch! Secret: She likes to unwind by listening to classical music and drinking green tea.A Name: Paulina J Nickname: Polly Home: Peru Secret ambition: Wants to be a scientist. Loves: Traveling and meeting people from all over the world. She is also very close to her sister, Maria. Strengths: Loves helping other rodents. Weaknesses: She's shy and can be a bit clumsy. Secret: She is a computer genius!Name: Pamela Nickname: Pam Home: Tanzania 7 7 = Secret ambition: Wants to become a sports journalist or a car mechanic, Loves: Pizza, pizza, and more pizza! She'd eat pizza for breakfast if she could. Strengths: She is a peacemaker. She can't stand arguments. Weaknesses: She is very impulsive. Secret: Give her a screwdriver and any mechanical problem will be solved! &Geronimo Stilton SS ‘Thea Stilton AND THE LOST LETTERS Scholastic Inc.reg LOVE LETTERS When I woke up that (1 OR @! MG, there was a strange feeling in the air. perenne! I didn’t hear the SOUR of = ah 4 ) HAPPY laughter of mouselings in the park nearby. pawsteps on the sidewalk outside As soon as | went to the window, | realized my building, or the PuUmole of city traffic. All I heard was the why: It was snowing! Flakes as light as grated Parmesan were falling from the sky. A thick, white coat of $0 W had covered the CP6Y! It must have been coming down all night. I threw open the window to breathe in the CRISP air — and just barely managed to dodge a snowball tossed by a mouseling playi 172) with his friends. 1Love aw LETTERS “Sorry!” the little mouse cried. I grinned at him. The snow had put me in a @r°e@at mood. | was sure it was going to bea special day! I had just started making some hot chocolate when the phone rang. It was my BROTHER, Geronimo. He edits The Rodent’s Gazette, the most famouse newspaper on Mouse Island, where I’m a special correspondent. He was calling to tell me the office was CMOS because Beehad blocked the streets. So I decided to spend my snow day cleaning out the MII, which was overflowing with old things. 1 STARTED with a bunch of clothesLove se LETTERS stuffed into two large trunks. I found two lovely vintage hats. After a little cleaning, they'd look great with my new dress! Then I tried on a few costumes from an old acting class. I looked absolutely ridiculous as Little Red Riding Mouse! Finally, [came across a boy af ays from when Gerry Berry and I were young mouselings. So many memories! Under some STUFFED ANIMALS, | discovered a few books from my days at Mouseford Academy. As | leafed through my favorite cai memories! sy) somaLove P=] LETTERS textbook, a [H!N bundle of envelopes fell from the pages. It was tied together with pink ribbon. I didn’t remember the LETTERS, so | OPENE ; [Uv UV UV YOvYrYU VY uVY v v Dearest Thea, v From the moment I First saw your beautiful y violet eyes, I haven't been able +o stop y thinking about you, T long +0 spend time with iy You and $e+ +0 know You better. ~ Someday I hope +0 Find the courage +0 tell you y about My Feelings, and +o Find out if you Feel 7) the same way about me... your secret admirer [YO VYV YOY VY yyy I remembered the thrill I'd felt so many years ago when I first found that e>FeR on my desk! I’d received others, too, but I € E?<€<€ce journalism class, Colette, nicky, PAMELA, PAULINA, and Violet — the ea" Sisters — were my students, and << they had become dear friends. : The mouselets had just returned we from Russia, and they had a marvemouse adventure to tell me about! Coincidentally, their STORY CSF i involved love letters. I poured myself a cup of hot cheese q ~/ and curled up on my couch to read... 6& MEETING on THE TCE It was winter break at Mouseford Academy, and the Thea Sisters had just arrived in Saint Petersburg.* On their first afternoon there, they decided to go ice-skating at the rink in Palace Square. While Colette, Nicky, Paulina, and Violet glided smoathhy across the center of the #c¢ ©, Pam couldn’t tear her paws away from the railing around the edge. As soon as she dared to slide forward a step or two, she’d squeak, “Eek! I’m losing my BALANCE’ Pam spun her paws in the air to keep from falling, but soon, her tail hit the cold, hard ice. “Ts everything Okay?” a mouselet asked her, zooming over to give her a paw. Pam scrambled up, smiling, * Saint Petersburg is one of the biggest cities in Russia. Learn more on page 13.meeTiNg on a “THE tee “THANKS ... My tail’s a bit bruised, but there’s no permanent damage. I’m such a _ klutz. I do better getting around on four Ge wheoks than on my own two “© —e—¢e-* . —_mEETine on a THE fee The mouselet giggled. “I get it! But skating isn’t are, You just need to bend your knees a little, keep your weight forward, and then let yourself glide.MEETING on a ThE fee Pam tried out the mouselet’s advice and moved forward a few §Fe ps. ‘Slimay Swiss cheese! I can’t believe I’m doing it! I’m really ice- skating!” she cried, beaming. “Hey, Pam, are you getting private lessons over here?” Nicky joked, gliding over with the other THEA S7STERS. Before Pam could reply, Colette’s EYES widened. “B-but y-you’re . . . Aleksandra Skettinova!” she spluttered. The mouselet MOtIGNE for them to lower their squeaks. “Shhh! Yes, that’s me, but no one knows I’m here. Anyway. I have to go practice, so, BYE!” “Wait!” Colette tried to stop her, but the mouselet was already sliding over to the exit. “Whoa, she’s faster than a gerbil on a wheel!” Pam commented. “Who is she?” 10meeting on @ ThE tee “Aleksandra Skettinova is one of the best ice skaters in Russia,” Colette explained. “She'll probably win the /igute~ I yowe're going to in a few days.” You see, Colette had convinced her friends to spend their W'itat@L break in Russia so she could watch her favorite sport’s championship in the fur. “Frozen feta, how cool is that?!” Pam cried. “But now I'm a little tired from all this exercise. What do you say we finda snack?” As the mouselets left the rink, a stack of flyers drew Nicky’s attention. “Colette, look!”MEETING on a THE fee Colette scanned the flyer. “Hey, that’s + H75 AFTeRN°ON! Mouselets, we absolutely have to go.” “But | wanted to visit the HERMITAGE’. . .” Violet moaned. “Come on, Vi, the mouseum’s not going anywhere. This is a 0NCE-IN-A-MOUSETIME OPPORTUNITY!” Nicky said. oval right, Coco. Violet was about to object, but then she saw the enthusiastic look on Colette’s snout. “Oh, all right, Coco. Let’s make like a cheese wheel and roll!” * The Hermitage is a well-known museum in Saint Petersburg. Turn to page 65 to learn more.Saint Petersburg | Saint Petersburg is one of the most significant cities in Russia, second in size only to the Russian capital, Moscow. It’s located on the banks of the Neva River, which flows into the Gulf of Finland. The city takes its name from Czar -~ ~~ Peter the Great (1679-1725), who founded it in 1703. For two centuries, Saint Petersburg was the capital of the Russian Empire and home of the czars (rulers of Russia). In 1990, its historic district — which is full of palaces, monuments, and some of the most famous museums in the world — was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. i) ee ET TN TeL> NEw FRENDS, OLD RIVALS Later that afternoon, the mouselets settled in the bleachers of the ICG Palace. “This is actually pretty cool,” said Violet. “We're snout-to-snout with champions!” “Look, there’s Aleksandra!” Colette cried, pointing to the center of the rink. A rodent in a matching costume Gircled next to her. “There are individual and pairs events at this EUW "OWING, That must be Pavel Paponeci, Aleksandra’s partner,” Colette explained. “Look how grace ully they move together!” Paulina said. “They train together for at least three hours a day. That’s how they create that perfect synchronicvey of movement,” said Colette. 4new FRfeENDs, wile OLD RIVALS “Check out those two over there. Their synchronicity is a little off,” observed Violet, pointing to two SKATERS in IRE. The mouselet was ranting at her partner. “You messed up again! If this routine bombs, it'll be all your fault!” Colette recognized the skater. “That’s Katerina Rattotova. She’s known for her triple axel* — and for her unpredictable personality.” Just then, Aleksandra stopped for a break. She glanced up at the bleachers and spotted the Thea Sisters Wy their paws at her. “Hey, you’re the mouselets from this morning! Are you skating Sans?” asked Aleksandra, gliding over to them. “Yep, we're fans of skating — and of you!” Colette replied with a big smile. * The axel is a spinning jump invented by the skater Axel Paulsen. It’s considered the most difficult jump in figure skating.New FRENDS, wl OLD RIVALS The mouselet blushed. “Oh, THANK YOU.” Just then, Katerina slid over and STOPPED suddenly near them. “You're not worn out already, are you, Aleksandra?” she said nastily. “You and Pavel seem out of sync today. And let’s not squeak about your RIPPED costume. Beating you will be easier than taking cheese from a mouseling! Wa, tha, Wa” She took off like a flash. WORRIED, Aleksandra looked down at her costume. Colette reassured her, “It’s just a torn ribbon. I can fix it myself if you'd like!” She RUWMNGED in her purse and pulled out a small case with a needle and G “You never know when you'll need to make a quick fix!” she explained to Aleksandra. A moment later, Colette had $EWN the ribbon back onto the costume. “Just like new.” 18