Orris and Timble: The Beginning by: Kate DiCamillo

When reclusive Orris the rat’s peaceful life in an old barn is interrupted by the fluttering of an owl trapped in a mousetrap, he faces a moral choice: help a natural predator—or protect himself. Inspired by the sardine can in his collection urging him to “make the good and noble choice,” Orris’s decision sparks the start of an unlikely and heartwarming friendship. With humor, warmth, and full-color illustrations by Carmen Mok, this early-reader chapter book is the delightful opening of a trilogy about courage, storytelling, and unexpected companionship