Monday, Rosa Maria did the laundry.

She
washed and ironed her largest tablecloth and the
twenty-four napkins that matched. But when she
finished, she only counted twenty-three.
No importa, she said. It doesnt matter. So
what if someone has a napkin that doesnt match?
The important thing is that were all together.
After dinner she swept the floor and checked
the mousetrap.
But it was missing.
Didnt I set one last night? She wondered.
She hurried to the cupboard to fetch another,
and when it was ready to snap, she turned off the
light and went to bed.
Tuesday, Rosa Maria walked to the market.
She filled her big bolsa with tortillas, cheese, red
sauce, white sauce, pinto beans, and a bag of candy.
She bought a piata and on her way home she
stopped at the pasteleria to order the cake.
After dinner, she washed the dishes and
checked the mousetrap.
But it had vanished.
Que baba soy! Silly me, I must have
forgotten, again!
She hurried to the cupboard to fetch another
and when it was set and ready to snap, she turned off
the light and went to bed.

Mice and Beans

By Pam Muoz Ryan
Illustrated by Joe Cepeda

Rose Maria lived in a tiny house with a tiny

yard. But she had a big heart, and big family, and
more than anything, she loved to cook big meals for
them.
In one week, her youngest grandchild, Little
Catalina, would be seven years old, and the whole
family would squeeze into her casita for the party.
Rosa Maria didnt mind because she believed
what her mother had always said: When theres
room in the heart, theres room in the house, except
for a mouse.
Sunday, Rosa Maria planned the menu:
Enchiladas, rice and beans (no dinner was complete
without rice and beans!), birthday cake, lemonade,
and a piata filled with candy.
She ordered the birthday present-something
Little Catalina had wanted for a long time.
Satisfied with the plans, she wiped down the
table so she wouldnt get mice and took out a
mousetrap just in case. She was sure she had set one
the night before, but now she couldnt find it.
Maybe shed forgotten.
When it was set and ready to snap, she turned
off the light and went to bed.
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Wednesday, Rosa Maria prepared the

enchiladas. She noticed the piata was missing a few
feathers.
No importa, She said. Those feathers wont
make a difference to the children when the piata is
filled with candy.
After dinner she mopped up the sauce and
checked the mousetrap.
But it was gone again!
I am so busy that Im forgetting to remember!
she cried.
She hurried to the cupboard to fetch another
and when it was set and ready to snap she turned off
the light and went to bed.
Thursday, Rosa Maria simmered the beans.
She searched for her favorite wooden spoon, the one
she always used to cook frijoles, but she couldnt
find it.
No importa, she said. The beans will taste
just as good if I use another spoon.
She added water all day long until the beans
were plump and soft. Then she scrubbed the stove
and checked the mousetrap.
But it was nowhere in sight!
Cielos! she said. Heavens! Where is my
mind?

She hurried to the cupboard to fetch another

and when it was set and ready to snap, she turned off
the light and went to bed.
Friday, Rosa Maria picked up the cake and
seven candles.
Tomorrow was the big day. Rosa Maria knew
she mustnt forget anything, so she carefully went
over the list for one last time.
After dinner she wrapped the cake and checked
the mousetrap.
She couldnt believe her eyes.
No mousetrap!
Thank goodness Ive got plenty.
She hurried to the cupboard to fetch another
and when it was set and ready to snap, she turned off
the light and went to bed.
Saturday, Rosa Maria cooked the rice. As the
workers assembled Little Catalinas present, she set
the table and squeezed the juiciest lemons from her
tree.
Lets see, she said, feeling very proud.
Enchiladas, rice and beans (no dinner was complete
without rice and beans!), birthday cake, and
lemonade. I know I have forgotten something, but
what? The candles!
But she only counted six.

No importa, she said. I will arrange the six

candles in the shape of a seven and Little Catalina
will be just as happy. Now, everything is ready.
But WAS everything ready?
That afternoon Rosa Marias family filled her
tiny casita. They ate the enchiladas and rice and
beans. They drank the fresh-squeezed lemonade.
And they devoured the cake.
Little Catalina loved her present-a swing set!
And after every cousin had a turn, they chanted, La
piata! La piata!
They ran to the walnut tree and threw a rope
over a high branch.
Whack! Whack! Little Catalina swung the
piata stick.
Wait! cried Rosa Maria as she remembered
what shed forgotten. But it was too late.
Crack! The piata separated, and the children
scrambled to collect the candy.
How could that be? Rosa Maria puzzled. I
must have filled it without even realizing!
She laughed at her own thoughtfulness as she
hugged her granddaughter and said, Feliz
cumpleaos , my Little Catalina. Happy birthday.
After everyone had gone, Rosa Maria tidied her
kitchen and thought contentedly about the fiesta.
She pictured the happy look on Little Catalinas face

when the candy spilled from the piata. But Rosa

Maria still couldnt remember when she had filled it.
No Importa, She said. It was a wonderful
day.
But as Rosa Maria swept out the cupboard, she
discovered the telltale signs of mice!
Ratones! she cried. Where are my
mousetraps? I will set them all!
She inched her way to the floor and when she
did, something caught her eye.
She looked closer.
Maybe I didnt fill the piata, she thought.
Was it possible? she asked, shaking her head.
Could I have had help?
Rosa Maria looked at the leftovers. Too much
for one person.
And what was it her mother had always said?
When theres room in the heart, theres room in the
houseeven for a mouse.
Fijate! Imagine that! she said. I
remembered the words wrong all these years.
Besides, how many could there be? Two?
Four?
No importa, she said. It doesnt matter if a
few mice live here, too..
Then, she turned off the light and went to bed.

Comprehension Questions
1. Who is the main character? What is the setting?
2. What does the word casita mean?
3. Look carefully at the illustrations. What things
could happen in real life? What things could
not happen in real life?
4. What happened to Rosa Marias napkin? How
do you know?
5. What happened to the new mousetrap that Rosa
Maria put out?
6. Why does Rosa Maria go to the pasteleria?
What do you think the word pasteleria means?
7. Have you noticed anything that repeats in this
story? What does it tell you about the plot?
8. At the end of the story, what did Rosa Maria do
differently on that night? Why?
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