Space station rat
(Book)

A lavender rat that has escaped from a laboratory, and a lonely boy whose parents are scientists, meet on an orbiting space station, communicate by email, and ultimately find themselves in need of each other's help and friendship. A literate lavender rat, fleeing from an experiment, accidentally stows away on a space station. In addition to the scientists, technicians, and astronauts on board, there is a lonely young boy who attracts the rat's attention, and she begins following him in an effort to get food. And for a while things get better-the boy thinks he has a friend since someone unknown is sending him e-mails, though oddly, they're always about food. On her side, the rat gets the food her e-mails have inspired. But when the rat is discovered, efforts to eradicate her begin. The two misfits forge a real friendship based on need as they fight off efforts to stamp out the stowaway.