the greatest halloween party ever!

it was a cold, rainy october night. on the streets of new mouse city, the howling wind threatened to rip my favorite cheese-colored umbrella right out of my faws ! rats whiskers! how i wished i were home relaxing in my comfy cat-fur slippers. instead i was heading downtown to… oops! i did it agian! when will i ever remember to introduce myself?

my name is stilton, Geronimo Stilton. I am the publisher of the rodents gazette, the most famouse newspaper on mouse island.

anyway, where was I? oh, yes, I was heading downtown to meet my favorite nephew, Benjamin. it was only a few days until Halloween's, and I had promised him I would throw a Halloween party at my house. we would invite all of his friend.

ready to go shopping for the party? I

asked the little mouse.

Benjamin's smile made me forget all

about the dreary weather.

this is going to be the greatest

Halloween party ever! he squeaked. you're the best, uncle Geronimo!

did I mention I have the sweetest

nephew on the planet?

🙏#yoo-hoo!

I took Benjamin to tricks for tails,

the most popular party store in new mouse city. it has lots of decoration,weird gadgets, and party pranks.

when we entered the store, we were greeted by the owner, paws prankster.one thing you should know about paws:he loves to test out his pranks on unsuspecting custumers.

of course, today was no exception. like my ring? he giggled, waving his paw in my face.

I took a closer look, and a stream of water squirted me in the snout!

cheese niblets!

got ya! paws guffawed. look at this, uncle, Benjamin said, pointing to a humongous orange pumpkin. I had to admit it was pretty impressive.

but why had someone left banana peel on top of the pumpkin? how strange!

Benjamin found a rack with lots of scary costumes.

he tried on a ghost, an alien, and a skeleton costume.

they were all so spooky, we couldn't

decide. we decided to think it over and come back in a few days.

we were about to leave when I felt someone-or somthing-tug on my tail.

I turned around, but there was no one

there. how odd!

I took another step. again I felt a tug on my tail.

😘..I I whirled around fast, but still no one was there. how weird!

A rubber ba dangling from the ceiling stared at me with evil eye. yikes! I was

beginning to get the creeps.

At that moment, the giant pumpkin began to move.

yoo-hoo! a voice whispered.

suddenly, a furry gray snout popped out of the pumpkin.

like my little joke, Stilton? the mouse giggled.

I should have known. it was my friend

Hercule poirat, the famouse detective.

Hercule loves to play pranks, and he's always eating bananas.

Stilton , I could really use your help

solving a Halloween mystery…

he began.

but I cut him off.

Hercule loved to get me to help with his crazy cases, but I wasn't about to get involved.

I had a Halloween party to plan!

sorry, hercule, no time, I said quickly.

then I took Benjamin by the paw and ran out the door before Hercule could stop me.

if you've seen these pumpkins…

the next day, I went back to tricks for tails. I was to buy giant jack-o -lantern and a few other scary decoration to surprise Benjamin.

but when I got there, there was nothing left: no tricks,no decorations,no costumes.

I was robbed! paws prankster sobbed.they took everything!

I looked around. this time, paws wasn't pulling my paw. the robbers had taken everything.

right then, the phone rang.

paws blew his nose-honk!- then answered the phone. he chatted for a minute before hanging up.

well, it looks like I wasn't the only one,he said a sigh. rats authority, better cheddar and beyond, and professor preciousfurs priceless antiques were robbed, too. how strange, I thought. I felt tricks for tails and took the bus to the other side of town to do my shopping. on the bus, I sat next to a scowling mouse with a tuft of black fur on top of his head and three silver rings in his snout.he was chattering into his cell phone.