In the Italian graphic-novel series featuring pubescent mice living a life akin to the effusively wealthy cast of Gossip Girl, this episode revolves around raising funds at a winter fair to support exploration of a sunken Viking ship that still holds lots of treasure. Thea (sister of Geronimo Stilton, who has his own series) has a girl gang that includes in their skill set perfume making, bully repelling, smart marketing, and, of course, deep-sea diving. Candy-colored cartoon panels are as cluttered as these mice d their reading fans uld want them, and the story arc requires no character introductions, as each girl is clearly herself and not shy about it. No need to start at the beginning of the series; this entry stands strongly on its own.

Members of Mouseford Academy discover a sunken Viking ship and sell cosmetics to raise money to recover it; burglars try to thwart their efforts. The story line in this installment in the graphic-novel series makes many assumptions about readers' knowledge of events from previous books. The characters are hard to tell apart and aren't likable; the characterizations rely on gender stereotypes.

Gr 3-5 After discovering a Viking ship off the coast of Whale Island, The Thea Sisters, a group of five college girls (mice), devise a plan to raise money for its recovery. The sisters find an empty perfume bottle on the ship, believed to have belonged to Princess Asa and they recreate the perfume to sell at the Midwinter Fair. Things go awry when villainous Vissia de Vissen forms a plot to steal the secret perfume formula. This third title in the series offers a challenging vocabulary and a bit of historical accuracy, with its brief discussion of Harald, the last great Viking king, and comments on Viking trade with Persia. Multiple references to other "Thea Stilton" titles (Papercutz) ensure its success as a marketing tool; however, the story goes amiss with its hokey content and stereotypical characters. The "Geronimo Stilton" chapter books (Scholastic) offer a better reading experience with a large font and more age-appropriate dialogue. Still, fans will clamor for this graphic novel adventure. Gaye Hinchliff, King County Library System, WA