The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents

by Terry Pratchett

222 pages

Published Feb. 5, 2004 by Heinemann Educational Publishers.

ISBN:: 978-0-435-13100-5
OCLC Number:: 60511109

(10 reviews)

Winner of the 2001 Carnegie MedalOne rat, popping up here and there, squeaking loudly, and taking a bath in the cream, could be a plague all by himself. After a few days of this, it was amazing how glad people were to see the kid with his magical rat pipe. And they were amazing when the rats followed hint out of town.They'd have been really amazed if they'd ever found out that the rats and the piper met up with a cat somewhere outside of town and solemnly counted out the money.The Amazing Maurice runs the perfect Pied Piper scam. This streetwise alley cat knows the value of cold, hard cash and can talk his way into and out of anything. But when Maurice and his cohorts decide to con the town of Bad Blinitz, it will take more than fast talking to survive the danger that awaits. For this is a town where food is scarce and rats are hated, where cellars are lined with deadly traps, and where a terrifying evil lurks beneath the hunger-stricken streets....Set in Terry Pratchett's widely popular Discworld, this masterfully crafted, gripping read is both compelling and funny. When one of the world's most acclaimed fantasy writers turns a classic fairy tale on its head, no one will ever look at the Pied Piper -- or rats -- the same way again!

24 editions

frogplate reviewed The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents by Terry Pratchett (Discworld, Book 28)

Sardines and Dangerous Beans

5 stars

Soon after "The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents" was first published, I read it to my daughter. She so much enjoyed the characters that she dressed up as Sardines (one of the ensemble cast of rats) for her school's World Book Day celebration. She emailed Terry Pratchett to tell him how much she had enjoyed the book and was thrilled to get a lovely reply.

Re-reading "The Amazing Maurice", I'm surprised by just how dark a book it is, given the nine-year-old plus demographic. For example, there are no holds barred when it comes to the short and uncomfortable lives that rodents sometimes lead, and a couple of plot points rely on how cruel humans can be to their squeaky neighbours.

The book includes a thought-provoking exploration of different kinds of consciousness and self-awareness, and there is much pleasure to be gained from the large cast of characters - …

The book includes a thought-provoking exploration of different kinds of consciousness and self-awareness, and there is much pleasure to be gained from the large cast of characters - rodent, feline, and the occasional human.

slayra@velhaestante.com.br reviewed The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents by Terry Pratchett (Discworld, Book 28)

Review of 'The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Maurice is a talking cat that has his own group of rats following him, as well as a boy. Together they get rich by pretending to save towns from rats. But their last job goes very wrong. There's something else in the shadows of their new town...

I listened to the new Audible version that isn't available in Goodreads yet. I wasn't expecting the book to be scary, but it is made for Halloween! Peter Seratinowicz does a very good narration job (the rat king whispers are scary good, but not good in noisy transports - be warned!). A brilliant story about stories. The short note from Rob Wilkins at the end is also worth it.