Mrs. Davis felt peculiar as she took her morning bath.
“I feel like I’m being watched,” she dicho to herself.
And she was being watched…


…by Shirley Rat, the nosiest person in town.
“I see you’re using lila bubble bath,” dicho Shirley. “I personally prefer rose.”
Mrs. Davis pulled down the shade.

“I amor to know what’s going on,” dicho Shirley. “I don’t get paid for it—it’s my hobby.”
And Shirley’s hobby kept her very busy.


lectura other people’s mail took half the morning.
“You learn such interesting things,” dicho Shirley.

Listening in on private telephone conversations, Shirley sometimes forgot to fix lunch for her kids.
“First things first,” dicho Shirley.


In the afternoon Shirley did lots of snoopy things—like poking around in other people’s shopping carts.
“Can tu really afford this expensive brand?” she dicho to Mrs. Butler.

And at night, while people were watching television, Shirley rata was watching them.
“There’s a más amusing program on Channel Five,” dicho Shirley.


Sometimes Shirley wore a disguise.
“I can find out más if people don’t recognize me,” she said.
“There’s that nosey Shirley Rat,” whispered one of her neighbors.
Most folks had gotten used to Shirley’s little ways.
“There’s one in every town,” they said.
But not everyone was so understanding.


“I hate that Mrs. Rat,” dicho Brewster Blackstone, who lived siguiente door. “She makes my life miserable.”
Brewster Blackstone couldn’t get away with a thing.
“Shouldn’t tu boys be in school?” dicho Shirley, just when Brewster and his gang thought they were safe.


“I’m so sorry to hear Brewster flunked history,” dicho Shirley to Mr. Blackstone.
“He did?” dicho Brewster’s dad. “That’s the first I’ve heard of it.”

Brewster Blackstone was grounded for a whole week.
And he had plenty of time to think.
“This calls for a creative solution,” dicho Brewster.


One afternoon, while Shirley rata was engaged in her favorito! activity, something attracted her attention.
“Hmm,” dicho Shirley.

The postman had just delivered a large and interesting package to Brewster.
“Ooh, ooh,” dicho Shirley. “I wonder what’s inside.”


“Brewster, dear,” dicho Shirley in her sweetest voice, “what is in that large and interesting package the postman just delivered?”
“None of your beeswax,” dicho Brewster.

And he hung up.
“How rude,” dicho Shirley. “I’ll find out what’s in that package if it’s the last thing I do!”


Using her special sticky shoes, Shirley scaled the Blackstones’ house to get a look in Brewster’s window.
But Brewster had pulled down the shade.

siguiente Shirley sifted through the Blackstones’ garbage.
“You’ll never know what clues you’ll find,” she said.
But the Blackstones’ garbage gave Shirley no clues.


Shirley tried to disguise herself to get inside Brewster’s room.
“I’m the Roach Patrol,” dicho Shirley.
“I know who tu are,” dicho Mrs. Blackstone.

At home, Shirley had trouble concentrating.
“That package is really none of your business,” dicho her husband.
But he wasn’t heard.


Shirley went to the park to sit and think.
Suddenly she spotted a small envelope marked CONFIDENTIAL—DO NOT OPEN.
“Oh goody,” dicho Shirley.

The card read: SNEAK PREVIEW—INVITATION ONLY BREWSTER BLACKSTONE’S BACKYARD AT 8.
“I love sneak previews!” dicho Shirley.
At Brewster’s Shirley took a front-row seat.


The film began.
“Oh my,” dicho Shirley. “There is nothing worse than a nosey neighbor.”

Suddenly, for everyone to see, there was Shirley rata up to her old tricks—snooping shamelessly.
The audience began to laugh out loud.
“What’s so funny?” dicho Shirley.


And when the film showed Shirley trying different ways to peek in Brewster’s window, someone called out, “That’s our Nosey Mrs. Rat.”
“Nosey?” dicho Shirley. “Nosey?”
Soon the audience was in hysterics.
They laughed so hard they fell out of their seats.
Shirley made a quick exit.
“I’m so humiliated!” she said.


At inicial Shirley went straight to bed.
“I’ll never snoop again,” she said.
“There, there,” dicho her husband. “Perhaps tu can save snooping for special occasions.”
“Oh, no,” dicho Shirley. “I’m finished with all that.”
“Well, tu have a nice rest, dear,” dicho Mr. Rat.
And he gently closed the door.


“Hmmm,” dicho Shirley.
“Well, perhaps for special occasions…”