Thea Stilton and the Legend of the Fire Flowers (Thea Stilton Graphic Novels Book 15) Read online

  and the

  legend of the

  fire flowers

  I’m Geronimo Stilton’s sister.

  As I’m sure you know from my brother’s

  bestselling novels, I’m a special correspondent

  for

  The Rodent’s Gazette

  , Mouse Island’s most famouse

  newspaper. Unlike my ’fraidy mouse brother, I absolutely

  adore traveling, having adventures, and meeting rodents

  from all around the world!

  The adventure I want to tell you about begins

  at Mouseford Academy, the school I went to when I was

  a

  young mouseling. I had such a great experience there

  as

  a student that I came back to teach a journalism class.

  When I returned as a grown mouse, I met five really

  special students: Colette, Nicky, Pamela, Paulina, and

  Violet. You could hardly imagine five more different

  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! I was so touched

  by that, I decided to write about their adventures. So turn

  the page to read a fabumouse adventure about the

  THEA SISTERS!

  Hello, I’m Thea!

  Name: Nicky

  Nickname: Nic

  Home: Australia

  Secret ambition: Wants to be an ecologist.

  Loves: Open spaces and nature.

  Strengths: She is always in a good mood, as long as

  she’s outdoors!

  Weaknesses: She can’t sit still!

  Secret:

  Nicky is claustrophobic

  —

  she

  can’t stand being in small, tight places.

  Nicky

  Name: Colette

  Nickname: It’s Colette,

  please. (She can’t stand nicknames.)

  Home: France

  Secret ambition: Colette is very particular about

  her appearance. She wants to be a fashion writer.

  Loves: The color 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.

  colette

  Name: Violet

  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.

  violet

  Name: Paulina

  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!

  paulina

  Name: Pamela

  Nickname: Pam

  Home: Tanzania

  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!

  pamela

  AND THE LEGEND

  OF THE FIRE FLOWERS

  All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright

  Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted,

  downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced

  into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by

  any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter

  invented, without the express written permission of the publisher. For

  information regarding permission, please contact Atlantyca S.p.A., Via

  Leopardi 8, 20123 Milan, Italy; e-mail [email protected], www.

  atlantyca.com.

  e-ISBN 978-0-545-54024-7

  Copyright © 2011 by Edizioni Piemme S.p.A., Corso Como 15, 20154

  Milan, Italy.

  International Rights © Atlantyca S.p.A.

  English translation © 2013 by Atlantyca S.p.A.

  GERONIMO STILTON and THEA STILTON names, characters, and

  related indicia are copyright, trademark, and exclusive license of Atlantyca

  S.p.A. All rights reserved. The moral right of the author has been asserted.

  Based on an original idea by Elisabetta Dami.

  www.geronimostilton.com

  Published by Scholastic Inc., 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012.

  SCHOLASTIC and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered

  trademarks of Scholastic Inc.

  Stilton is the name of a famous En glish cheese. It is a registered trade-

  mark of the Stilton Cheese Makers’ Association. For more information,

  go to www.stiltoncheese.com.

  Text by Thea Stilton

  Original title La leggenda dei fiori di fuoco

  Cover by Arianna Rea (pencils), Yoko Ippolitoni (inks), and Ketty

  Formaggio (color)

  Illustrations by Sabrina Ariganello, Michela Frare, Daniela Geremia,

  Cristina Giorgilli, Gaetano Petrigno, Arianna Rea, Raffaella Seccia, and

  Roberta Tedeschi

  Color by Cinzia Antonielli, Giorgia Arena, Alessandra Bracaglia, Laura

  Brancati, and Edwyn Nori

  Graphics by Paola Cantoni with Marta Lorini

  Special thanks to Beth Dunfey

  Translated by Emily Clement

  Interior design by Kay Petronio

  THEA SISTERS NOW

  MORE THAN EVER!

  Just a few months ago, I would never have

  dreamed that my friends the Thea Sisters

  would surpass me as investigative

  journalists. But it’s happened, and I am

  prouder than a porcupine!

  Who are the Thea Sisters? Why,

  they are my former students at

  Mouseford Academy.

  2

  You see, a little while back, I was invited to

  teach a class in adventure journalism at my

  old school. Colette,

  Nick

  y

  , Pamela,

  Paulina

  , and

  Violet

  — the Thea

  Sisters — were in my class. Without a doubt,

  they are the five most brilliant

  mouselets I’ve
ever met.

  In fact, they are such good detectives that

  they’ve solved almost as many mysteries

  as my old friend Hercule Poirat!

  But I’m putting the cheese before the

  cracker. Let me slow down and begin at the

  beginning.

  A few days ago, my brother, Geronimo,

  called me into his office at The Rodent’s

  Gazette. (He is the publisher, and I am a

  special correspondent.) As soon as I

  scampered in, he pawed me a hot-off-the-

  press copy of the newspaper.

  “Congratulations, sis! Those mouselets of

  yours have gotten a real scoop!”

  I took the newspaper and immediately

  spotted a photo of my young friends on

  the front page.

  “The Thea Sisters!” I exclaimed in surprise.

  Geronimo nodded in satisfaction.

  I began to read out loud: “‘Five Mouseford

  Academy students perform heroic

  rescue atop

  Hawaii’s

  biggest

  volcano

  ’!”

  “You did a fabumouse job training those

  mouselets. Great work!” my brother said.

  “What do you say to a trip to Whale Island?

  I want your pals to give you an exclusive

  interview so we can publish a special

  edition of The Rodent’s Gazette.”

  He didn’t have to ask twice. I grabbed the

  ferry ticket he’d bought me, slapped a kiss

  on his snout, and scurried home to pack my

  bags

  .

  When the ferry pulled into port, Colette,

  Nicky, Pamela, Paulina, and Violet were

  standing on the pier, waving eagerly. They

  couldn’t wait to tell me about the incredible

  adventure that had splashed their snouts

  across newspapers all over the world!

  We hugged and hurried up to the school.

  Violet fixed us a pot of

  PIPING-HOT

  tea, and the mouselets began to tell me their

  tale, starting with the moment they arrived

  in Hawaii.. . .

  “Sizzling spark plugs, mouselets! Check it

  out. Now that’s what I call a breathtaking

  view!” Pam cried.

  The Thea Sisters’ plane was about to land

  at Hilo International Airport. Pam’s eyes

  were glued to the window, and over and over

  she squeaked, “Fabumouse!”

  After Pam’s zillionth exclamation,

  Colette looked up from her pawnail

  polish. “So, Pam, are you happy to

  be in Hawaii or not?” She grinned

  as her friend spluttered, “Uh,

  yeah!”

  Pam finally

  peeled

  herself

  away from the window, leaving a

  A BREATHTAKING

  VIEW

  Hawaii is an archipelago of many volcanic islands that

  emerged millions of years ago in the middle of

  the Pacific Ocean. The main islands include

  Hawaii (also known as the Big Island) and

  seven other, smaller islands. The three biggest

  cities are Hilo (on the island of Hawaii), Honolulu,

  and Kailua (on the island of Oahu).

  The Hawaiian islands are famous for their beautiful

  beaches, lush forests, volcanic

  deserts, and spectacular views.

  THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

  Country: United States of America

  Capital: Honolulu (on the island of Oahu)

  Languages: English and Hawaiian

  Currency: United States Dollars (USD)

  N

  S

  E

  W

  smudgy snout print behind. “Why, did I

  already mention it?”

  “At least twenty-five times!” said Paulina,

  winking. Then, when she saw that her friend

  was sensitive about being teased, she

  hugged her. “Snout up, Pam! You know we

  love how jolly you are. You are the official

  cheerleader of the Thea Sisters!”

  “Everyone needs to look out the window

  immediately!” exclaimed Violet suddenly from

  the seat behind them. “We’re

  flying

  over

  Hawaii’s volcanoes. There are five

  of them, and they are unbelievable!”

  Pam and Paulina turned around. Violet

  was pointing out the mouth of each volcano.

  “See, what did I tell you mouselings? This

  place is amazing!” commented Pam. “Even

  Violet says so, and she’s never wrong!”

  Colette, Nicky, Paulina, and Violet burst

  out laughing.

  A moment later, the scratchy squeak of the

  pilot distracted them from the view. The

  plane was coming in for a landing. As soon

  as it touched ground, the passengers

  began gathering their carry-on bags.

  “Come on, mouselets, let’s shake

  a tail!” urged Colette, stowing

  her pawnail polish inside her

  cosmetics case, where she had

  at least ten different shades of pi nk.

  “It’s time to go, go, go! The hula

  competition awaits!” She looked around to

  make sure she had everything. That’s when

  she noticed another group of mouselets

  waiting to get off the plane. Colette sighed. It

  was the Ruby Crew!

  LEI

  MEANS HELLO!

  As the Thea Sisters scrambled off the

  plane, they noticed the Ruby Crew — Ruby,

  Alicia, Connie, and Zoe — eyeing them.

  Ruby and her three friends also attended

  Mouseford Academy, but they

  didn’t seem to like the Thea Sisters very

  much. In fact, they tended to be pretty

  SNOBBY

  toward most of the other

  students at Mouseford.

  “Well, I’m less psyched about participating

  in the HULA championship now that I’ve

  seen some of the competition,” Pam

  grumbled.

  “Yeah,” sighed Colette. “Talk about bad

  luck! I didn’t realize there was more than

  one team here representing Mouseford.

  Sometimes I feel like the Ruby Crew are

  bobcats stalking their prey — us!”

  Violet shrugged serenely. “Rise

  above, sisters. We’re on vacation! Let’s just

  relax and enjoy it. As Grandpa Chen used

  to say, ‘To every rodent her own cheese

  puff!’”

  The

  mouselets

  scurried into the

  airport and were overcome by a wave of

  energy: The atrium was filled with students

  from all over the world!

  Ukelele music echoed

  through the airport.

  There was a group of

  Hawaiian mice dancing

  the hula to welcome everyone who

  had just landed.

  “Crusty carburetors, this

  is marvemouse!” cried Pam.

  wreath

  Nicky nodded enthusiastically. “I love

  this place already, and we haven’t even set

  paw outside the airport!”

  At that moment, a group of dancers

  approached the Thea Sisters and placed

  some very colorful,

  flowery

  wreaths

  around their necks.


  “Lei!” said one dancer, giving Pam a

  gorgeous

  “Hey, thanks! So, what does lei mean?”

  asked Pam, admiring her new neckwear.

  The dancer smiled. “In our language, a

  lei is a wreath of flowers. It’s our way of

  saying

  hello

  . Welcome to Hawaii!”

  HULA

  Hula is a traditional Hawaiian dance known for its graceful,

  undulating movements. It has been called “the heartbeat

  of the Hawaiian people.” Hula is a form of storytelling,

  and it is often accompanied by

  mele

  , a chant or song. The

  older style of

  hula

  , known as

  kahiko

  , is accompanied by

  traditional musical instruments like drums, bamboo canes,

  and gourds filled with seeds.

  The more modern strain,

  hula’auana

  , is performed

  with Western instruments

  like the guitar and the

  ukulele.

  Hula is the embodiment of many

  important Hawaiian cultural

  traditions

  — poetry, religion,

  history, martial arts, and much more.

  Competing cultures have threatened

  hula in the past. But today, after a

  cultural revival during the 1970s, hula

  is stronger than ever.

  Hula is known all over the world, and

  there are dozens of festivals held each

  year in Hawaii. Hilo’s Merrie Monarch

  Festival is the world’s most prestigious hula

  competition. The event is dedicated to the

  memory of an ancient ruler of Hawaii, King

  David Kalãkaua.

  ATT

  IRE

  Originally, women

  wore short skirts and

  men wore loincloths to

  dance the hula. Today,

  they wear fabric skirts

  whose colors represent

  the different schools of

  hula. Dancers also wear

  bracelets and anklets

  made of shells or whale

  teeth. Their heads and

  necks are decorated

  with flowers.

  The

  mouselets