Get the must-read adventure that tells the story of 12-year-old Mouse Gamma, who uses code like magic. A page-turning whodunit that will make writing code as exciting and mysterious as anything you’ve ever imagined.
“Mouse is a Nancy Drew mystery for the WIRED-era that reminds us that coding isn’t just a STEM essential, but a path to creativity, self-discovery, and belonging.”
— R. Michael Hendrix, co-author of Two Beats Ahead, partner at IDEO
“There aren’t many coders like that, not that I’ve ever met. You just might find that the mouse is really a lion, and even worse, that the lion has your head in her mouth.”
Twelve-year-old Mouse Gamma has spent her entire life struggling to communicate. She’s never understood how to stop the bullies and negligent foster parents without causing more trouble than it’s worth. That is until she discovers the magic of code. A language that’s more powerful than anything she’s ever imagined.
To everyone’s surprise, Mouse is anonymously chosen to attend the prestigious Rickum Academy—an incubator for the brightest and most promising young minds in tech. Her excitement is short-lived as the mystery of how she ended up at Rickum very quickly unravels around her, threatening the safety of her new life and the innocent lives of those around her. With the help of her new friends, Ada and Boone, Mouse is in a race against her classmates, her teachers, and the most powerful man in tech to not only uncover the truth about who she is, but who she is not.
“Mouse is a marvel. This story will inspire young outsiders and sweep even reluctant kids up in the magic of coding.”
— Sara James Mnookin, author of Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf Goodman
"A creative, fast-paced tale that blends the magic and friendship of Harry Potter with the high-tech brilliance of Big Hero 6. A must for coders, hackers, and noobs alike."
— Henry Neff, bestselling author of The Tapestry series and Impyrium
“Stedman's debut novel is an intricately plotted technological thriller with a big heart. Readers will keep turning pages and rooting for Mouse — an underdog coding prodigy out to prove her worth at an elite boarding school where she unexpectedly finds a family while searching for her missing parents. A fun, engaging, and smart read!”
— H.A. Swain, author of Hungry and Gifted
“It takes a special writer to understand that computers are the most human things our species has ever built, and that the lines between making and magic and machines are the most porous of boundaries. A riveting, thrilling, and wildly imaginative novel.”
— Jeff Howe, author of Crowdsourcing and contributing editor, Wired magazine