The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents

Rating:
Summary: At the bottom of a wonderful series
Review: What I enjoy about the Discworld novels is the tongue-in-cheek commentary of our culture, our world. This has little to none of that. I kept on waiting for the punch line, but it never came. It's very much a tale told in the present. I often enjoy children's fantasy, but this became rather tedious and was very simplistic. The very last page when the rats started to 'become human' was interesting, but I would say The Rats of NIMH did the thing much better. My recommendation? Buy this one in paperback.

Rating:
Summary: At the bottom of a wonderful series
Review: What I enjoy about the Discworld novels is the tongue-in-cheek commentary of our culture, our world. This has little to none of that. I kept on waiting for the punch line, but it never came. It's very much a tale told in the present. I often enjoy children's fantasy, but this became rather tedious and was very simplistic. The very last page when the rats started to 'become human' was interesting, but I would say The Rats of NIMH did the thing much better. My recommendation? Buy this one in paperback.

Rating:
Summary: Beware, I'm a Pratchett fan!
Review: While I always enjoy Mr. Pratchett's work, I can't say this is my favorite one, but it's still excellent. It's essentially a cross of Puss in Boots and The Pied Piper, a la Discworld--where the cats and rats talk and both are in collusion with the Piper. It's something of a mystery, and would be a good book to read aloud to kids around "official" Harry Potter age (7-11). (Kids should be read to more, I think.) Younger children would need help understanding it on their own; but some of the allusions and entendres will appeal to adults so no one will be bored during the reading.