Chapter One
The Highest Shelf
The rain began on a Monday, which everybody agreed was typical.
It was the first Monday of the school holidays, and Mina had plans. The plans involved the park, the stream behind the park, a net, a jar, and at least one frog. They were good plans. She had drawn a map.
Instead, the sky turned the colour of dishwater, and the rain came down like it was being paid by the bucket, and Mama looked at the weather report and said the word that ruins everything, which is "Well."
"Well," said Mama. "You'll be spending the week at Grandpa's."
Now, Mina loved her grandpa. That must be said right away, and it was true. Grandpa Theo had a laugh like a chair being dragged, and he made proper pancakes, thin ones, and he did not fuss when you got mud on things. But a whole week indoors, even at Grandpa's, while the frogs of the entire world hopped about unjarred? It was a lot to ask.
By Tuesday afternoon Mina had read her books, drawn eleven pictures, taught herself to whistle a bit, and lain on the workshop floor with Biscuit the cat, watching the rain try to get in through the window.
"I am so bored," she told Biscuit, "that I have started watching rain."
Biscuit, who thought watching rain was a full and rewarding career, said nothing.
