The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents - Terry Pratchett

2001; 340 pages. New Author? : No. Genre : Humor; YA Literature. Laurels : 2001 Carnegie Award for Children's Literature. Overall Rating : 9*/10.

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You start with a hundred or so rats that can talk and think. They got that way by eating from the trash heap outside the wizards' Unseen University. Add one cat (the Amazing Maurice) who can also talk and think. We won't discuss how he came to have the gift. Finally, throw in one stupid-looking kid who can play the flute passably poorly. Whattaya got?

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Nope, not the Pied Piper. But a slick scam that works in one town after another. Until our tricking troupe comes to Bad Blintz.

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Here, there are devilish rat traps and poisons, but no rats. Here, there are two full-time rat catchers who daily display their booty of rat tail "scalps". But those look strangely like dyed shoe laces. Here, the townspeople starve because they believe the rats are eating all the food. And behind all this lurks something dark. Something intelligent. Something evil. Something powerful.

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What's To Like...

The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents was Terry Pratchett's first book for Young Readers. It is set in Discworld, but is not considered to be part of that series. Death makes a small appearance (along with his associate, The Grim Squeaker), and Maurice and the rats apparently debuted earlier in Reaper Man (1991), but I haven't read that one yet.

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TAMAHER has a Shrek-esque ability to entertain both young and adult readers. I'm a little surprised that it is listed as a children's book because this isn't some sappy Care Bears tale. There are deaths, assaults, and animal cruelty to go along with the action and adventure.

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Strangely, I found it to be a bit less zany than a typical Discworld novel. It also has chapters, which is a rarity for Pratchett.

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Kewl New Words...

None, although young readers will want to keep a dictionary handy.

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Excerpts...

"You get coconuts," said the kid. "On desert islands. A man selling them told me."

"How?" said Maurice. He wasn't too sure about coconuts.

"I don't know. You just get them."

"Oh, I suppose they just grow on trees, do they?" said Maurice sarcastically. (pg. 18)

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Maurice tried to tell his thoughts to shut up. What a time to get a conscience! What good was a cat with a conscience? A cat with a conscience was a ... a hamster, or something. (pg. 172)

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Rat Catcher 2 fell to his knees. "Please, young sir! Have mercy! If not for me, please think of my dear wife and my four lovely children what'll be without their daddy!"

"You're not married," said Malicia. "You don't have any children!"

"I might want some one day!" (pg. 211)

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Stealing from a thief isn't stealing 'cos it cancels out. (pg. 9)

This is another Pratchett masterpiece, as he demonstrates that he is just as good when writing for a different target audience. There is plenty of action, lots of object lessons, fun characters, sufficient suspense, a tidy ending, and heaps of wit.

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The worst I can say is that it might not be appropriate for sensitive juvenile readers. For everyone else, including those reading it to their children, it will be a treat. 9 Stars.