Book Report: Poppy

The leader of the mice, Lungwort — if you have read my other book reports (“Ragweed & Poppy” and “Ragweed”) you probably have some idea of who and what the characters are here — asks Mr. Ocax if they can move to New House. But Mr. Ocax says no, they cannot move to New House. Poppy would like to know why Mr. Ocax refused New House specifically. She journeys to Dimwood Forest, where she meets a porcupine. Her father was alerted by Mr. Ocax that porcupines were bad, but this one seems a kind of likeable unlikeable: he insults you a lot with his many made-up insults, but he is nice.

Ereth gets her there safely and says, “Bring me the salt when you’re done!” and leaves. Then she sees an owl that is looking at something past her. Mr. Ocax, meanwhile, is very agitated by this owl. As he sits on a tree nearby, he thinks about losing his resources to another, larger owl.

Poppy creeps around quietly, but then sees a boy open up the door of the barn, and chickens come out. Soon he opens up the top window and twists the owl’s head! Poppy learns from a cat that the owl is fake. She picks up one of Ereth’s quills that fell off, tied some grass around her like a belt, and put the quill into it, like a sword. On the way back she battles with Mr. Ocax, and the quill gets stuck in his talon. He flies, carrying Poppy (who was holding onto the quill) towards the salt, hoping to kick her off. But at the last moment, Poppy jumps off and lands on the ground, while Mr. Ocax crashes into the salt, and the salt explodes. He thumps across the ground, lying motionless.

In the end, Poppy marries another mouse, Rye, and she and Rye and Ereth and all the children mice are dancing around the tree grown where Ragweed dropped a nut. Poppy hangs Ragweed’s earring on the tree.