Rats on the Roof [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

James Marshall (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1991 | Age Level: 7 and up

An illustrated collection of seven stories about various animals, including a frog with magnificent legs, a hungry brontosaurus, and a mouse who gets married.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In seven illustrated stories of varying size and levels of sophistication, this Caldecott Honor artist introduces an array of lively anthropomorphized animals in amusing predicaments. Otis and Sophie Dog cannot sleep because of the cavorting rats that dance on the roof of their house. When the couple advertises for a cat to oust the intruders, a pompous, nattily dressed tomcat with some outrageous demands applies for the job. Other tales deal with a wolf who goes to great lengths to ensnare two unsuspecting sheep; a conniving cat tossed out on his ear after crashing a mouse wedding; and a vain frog who abruptly ceases to brag about his "magnificent legs" when he reads a recipe that calls for sauteed frogs' legs. As always, Marshall charges his text and pictures with a zany humor that will bewitch adults and children alike. Ages 6-10.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4-- This collection of seven silly stories is written for slightly older readers than Marshall's usual fare, but his high-spirited wackiness is recognizable. Each concerns the foibles of animals and their various ways of outwitting each other. In the title story, Otis and Sophie Dog have had a sleepless night filled with "the sound of little dancing feet and shrill musical instruments," and decide they need a cat. In the end, though, the rats leave the roof for reasons other than the Dogs or readers expect. In other tales, sheep escape the wolf in spite of their stupidity; a mouse bride frightens an intrusive cat; an owl deters an tree-chomping brontosaurus; a swan is rescued from a fox despite her bad judgment; a frog loudly admires his own legs until he discovers they can be sauteed; and a goose unwittingly befriends new wolf neighbors. The black-and-white illustrations are in perfect tune with the spirit of the tellings. Those just beginning to read chapter books should find that this is just the thing to tickle their funnybones. --Carolyn Jenks, Oyster River Elementary School, Durham, NH
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Hardcover: 79 pages
• Publisher: Dial; 1st edition (June 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803708343
• ISBN-13: 978-0803708341
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,430,773 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful animal stories for school-age readers., June 4, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Rats on the Roof (Puffin Chapters) (Mass Market Paperback)

If you love James Marshall's "George and Martha" stories but your child is outgrowing them, you can find similar humor in chapter book style in "Rats on the Roof." The stories are all about animals and their goofy dilemmas. There is a sheep who gets into big trouble by pretending to read when he can't (he thinks a "DANGER - Beware of Wolves" sign reads "welcome to the pretty green park"). And there is an owl who has to defend her tree from a hungry brontosaurus (who said only meat eating dinosaurs are dangerous?)... Marshall's funny illustrations add to the pleasure of the tales. "Rats on the Roof" is clean, lighthearted reading.

5.0 out of 5 stars elegant, ironic and exquisitely hilarious morality tales, March 29, 2011

By 

Anthony Mcnaught "lightwait" (santa cruz ca) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Rats on the Roof (Puffin Chapters) (Mass Market Paperback)

no better children's writer for the 4-8 age group- and a blast for the adults that read them too. Start with Rats on the Range and graduate to his novella, A Summer in the South. James Marshall is a treasure- too bad he was taken so young...

4.0 out of 5 stars Classic Marshall Fun, November 8, 2010

By 

M. Gleespen (Cleveland, OH USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Rats on the Roof (Puffin Chapters) (Mass Market Paperback)

Funny stories in the typical Marshall style. Longer than most of his stories, so probably good for the 7-year-old crowd. Only drawback: illustrations are not in color, which is too bad, since the color always makes his work more fun and wacky.