Items related to I Was a Rat!: Or, the Scarlet Slippers
"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 newspaper is sure of it. A lucrative fairground freak? He is to Mr. Tapscrew. A championship wriggler and a budding thief? That's the hope of Billy and his gang. A victim of "Rodent Delusion"? So says the hospital doctor.
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--with a pertinent parody of the press--here's Philip Pullman's youngest, funniest novel to date: a magical weaving of humor, fairy tale, and adventure.
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 newspaper is sure of it. A lucrative fairground freak? He is to Mr. Tapscrew. A championship wriggler and a budding thief? That's the hope of Billy and his gang. A victim of "Rodent Delusion"? So says the hospital doctor.
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--with a pertinent parody of the press--here's Philip Pullman's youngest, funniest novel to date: a magical weaving of humor, fairy tale, and adventure.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Review:
From the Back Cover:
"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
"Phillip Pullman's tale is fast and clever."
-New York Times Book Review Sunday, May 14, 2000
-New York Times Book Review Sunday, May 14, 2000
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- PublisherCorgi Childrens
- Publication date2000
- ISBN 10 0440863759
- ISBN 13 9780440863755
- BindingPaperback
- Number of pages176
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: Used; Good. Dispatched, from the UK, within 48 hours of ordering. This book is in good condition but will show signs of previous ownership. Please expect some creasing to the spine and/or minor damage to the cover. Damaged cover. The cover of is slightly damaged for instance a torn or bent corner. Aged book. Tanned pages and age spots, however, this will not interfere with reading. Grubby book may have mild dirt or some staining, mostly on the edges of pages. Seller Inventory # CHL9504761
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