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“I Was a Rat!” So insists a scruffy boy named Roger. Maybe it’s true. But what is he now? A terrifying monster running wild in the sewers? The Daily Scourge is sure of it. A victim of “Rodent Delusion”? The hospital nurse says yes. A lucrative fairground freak? He is to Mr. Tapscrew. A champion wriggler and a budding thief? That’s what Billy thinks. Or just an ordinary small boy, though a little ratty in his habits? Only three people believe this version of the story. And it may take a royal intervention—and a bit of magic—to convince the rest of the world.
Set against the backdrop of a Royal Wedding—and a playful parody of the press, I Was a Rat! is a magical weaving of humor, fairy tale, and adventure.
Set against the backdrop of a Royal Wedding—and a playful parody of the press, I Was a Rat! is a magical weaving of humor, fairy tale, and adventure.
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"Bless my soul!" said Bob. "Who are you?"When a grubby young pageboy knocks on the door of Bob the cobbler and Joan the washerwoman's house, the kindly couple hardly knows what to think. Could this delusional boy be the answer to their prayers for a little one of their own? And was he really once a rat? It seems so. He shreds his bedding, for example, and he chews his toast swiftly with his front teeth. He eats an entire pencil and bites his teacher. Despite the fact that he is a little ratty in his habits, the old couple grow quite fond of the young fellow.
"I was a rat," said the little boy.
In time, the word spreads that there's a rat-boy in town, news that intrigues everyone from the Royal Philosopher to the P.T. Barnum-inspired freak-peddler Oliver Tapscrew to a reporter from the local rag The Daily Scourge. As the harmless, well-meaning boy is transformed into "The Monster of the Sewers" through pure sensationalism and mass hysteria, Philip Pullman playfully satirizes the power of the press and society at large.
What does it mean to be human? In this often darkly comic Dickensian tale, rats start to look pretty good by comparison. But in a fairy-tale ending, Bob and Joan teach us that humans, corrupt as we are, can always take solace in toasted cheese, love, and good craftsmanship. Kevin Hawkes's black-and-white illustrations enliven the already vivacious adventure that, thanks to Pullman's ever lovely wordplay and sly satire, is every bit as enjoyable for adults as it is for young readers. (Ages 9 to 12) --Karin Snelson
From The Winner Of The Smarties Prize And The Carnegie Medal
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- PublisherYearling
- Publication date2002
- ISBN 10 0440416612
- ISBN 13 9780440416616
- BindingPaperback
- Number of pages176
- IllustratorHawkes Kevin
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. Hawkes, Kevin (illustrator). Paperback. I Was a Rat! So insists a scruffy boy named Roger. Maybe its true. But what is he now? A terrifying monster running wild in the sewers? The Daily Scourge is sure of it. A victim of Rodent Delusion? The hospital nurse says yes. A lucrative fairground freak? He is to Mr. Tapscrew. A champion wriggler and a budding thief? Thats what Billy thinks. Or just an ordinary small boy, though a little ratty in his habits? Only three people believe this version of the story. And it may take a royal interventionand a bit of magicto convince the rest of the world.Set against the backdrop of a Royal Weddingand a playful parody of the press, I Was a Rat! is a magical weaving of humor, fairy tale, and adventure. "I was A Rat!" So insists a scruffy boy named Roger. Maybe it's true. But what is he now? Set against the backdrop of a Royal Wedding--and a playful parody of the press--"I Was a Rat!" is a magical weaving of humor, fairy tale, and adventure. A "School Library Journal" Best Book of the Year. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9780440416616
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: Brand New. Hawkes, Kevin (illustrator). reprint edition. 164 pages. 8.00x5.50x0.75 inches. In Stock. Seller Inventory # __0440416612
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