The Corner by the Window

"Squeak, squeak," went something in the reading corner, and Mia tiptoed over to see.

The corner was her favourite place in the whole library. It had a sunny window, a yellow beanbag as round as a pumpkin, and a lamp with a green shade. Every morning, before the doors opened, Mia sat there with one picture book. Today she wanted to read it to the very end.

But something was squeaking, and she could not read with a squeak in her ear.

"Squeak, squeak."

It came from behind the beanbag. Mia tiptoed there and peeked. Nothing.

"Squeak, squeak."

Now it came from under the rug. Mia tiptoed there and lifted the corner. Nothing again, only a dust bunny that sneezed.

"Squeak, squeak."

Now it was up by the window. Every time Mia got close, the squeak slipped away.

Mia put her hands on her hips. She had looked behind and she had looked under. Looking was not working.

So she tried something different. She flopped down on the beanbag. Plop! Then she sat as still as a stone.

Nothing squeaked.

Mia opened her book and began to read in a soft voice. "Once there was a little red boat..."

"Squeak?" said a very small voice.

Mia kept her eyes on the page, but she saw a tiny nose poke out from under the lamp's green shade. Then came two ears, round as buttons. A mouse crept out and stood in the warm patch of sun, wiggling its toes.

The squeaking had only ever been the mouse, hurrying about to find the warmest spot. Now it had found it.

"This is my favourite corner, too," whispered Mia.

The mouse climbed onto the corner of the page and sat down.

Mia turned the page, very slowly. The lamp hummed, the sun was warm, and a tiny snore went squeak, squeak, squeak, right beside the little red boat.