Customer Reviews

A Rat's Tale

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A Rat's Tale is about a young rat named Montague Mad-Rat, or Monty. He lives a boring, solitary existence in the sewers of New York City. His family is almost considered a bunch of criminals, as they've broken almost every major rule of society, like making things with their own paws. Rats should scavenge for things they need, not make them. But nevertheless, his mother makes hats out of feathers, and his father makes sand castles. Neither of them have much time for him. He is very lonely and bored. The only things he has to do is gather feathers and berries for his mother's hats, and paint the seashells his aunt brings him. Then, one day, he meets the girl of his dreams! Her name is Isabella. She is the daughter of the governor of the rats, and she lives in old abandoned Wharf 62, where only the rats of the highest-class live. He can't stop thinking about her! Then he realizes that a rich, sophisticated girl like her could never love a sewer rat like him.
Meanwhile, the humans want to poison the wharves. The rats had stopped them every year by finding loose change and anonomysly offering it to the owner of the wharves. Every year they had collected $10,000. And every year, it had been enough. but this year it wasn't. So their leader (Isabella's Father) decides that they need to double the Rat-Rent (as they call it). But there's no way they can gather $20,000 worth of pennies, dimes and nickels! Then, Monty figures out a way to impress Isabella. He thought the shells his aunt had brought him might be of some value. After all, everyone said they were great. So he brings the shells to Isabella's father. He says they are great, but they need money, not shells. Dismayed, Monty tells Isabella's father to keep the shells. Isabella gets a90=hold of them, and at first she just hangs the shells on her bedroom wall. But then she has a great idea. her mother told her that Montague Mad-Rat (Monty's uncle whom he was named after) was infamous for doing the unthinkable--dealing with humans (it's like making things with your own paws). He, like Monty is also an artist. He decorates rings and sells them to an art dealer. Isabella decides to team up with him to sell the shells. She knows that dealing with humans is a huge disgrace, but she'll do anything to save her beloved wharves. Together, they are able to get $20,000!
Monty is hailed a hero! His little shells saved the wharves! Monty finally got everything he wanted. He saved the wharves, he's a hero, and Isabella finally likes him. Then the worst happens. What is that? You'll just have to read the book for yourself.
Monty significantly changes. He becomes much braver and he learns to do his best and try his hardest, even when things look hopeless.
This is a great book, and I recommend it to anyone age 9 and up.

This book is practically about rat life in new york city. Well, sort of, if you think of RICH rats. Rats with umbrellas, and buses, and even hats. A world where Rats live like kings, and everybody appreciates everything they have no matter you be poor or rich. The story begins in central park of new york city where young Montague mad-rat is picking up birds feathers and berries for his mother's RAT/HAT shop. His mother sorts out colors of berries and puts theminto vats, later when they are pulps she puts a feather into the sticky mess and comes out with a beautifully colered hat, which she later fashions into a more reasonable form.
Back to the story, montague is doing his daily feather picking-up trip in Central Park when a storm hits. He is forced to flee for his life, or rather for the feathers sake, and rests under bush by the side of a road. Then he noticed a pack of rats standing by the side of the road. They were all carrying umbrellas! Now, since Montague lived under ground, he had never seen the like of these for rats before. but that didn't stop the wildness, for a bus stopped right in front of the rats, and they all jumped onto the bumper in the back. But before the bus had gone for than 10 feet, when a strong gust of wind blew accross the street, blowing one of the rats by the umbrella she was holding, and flies back to the bush that Montague was resting by.
He offered to take the girl home, and she accepted, claiming that he had a nose bleed even more than once. For in his rush to say something to her, he had smashed the berries all over his face.
And from this little stroll, forms the unexpected fate of all the rats in New York City.
A wonderful, warm tale, of art,love, and witty sayings. I would give 5 stars to [A Rat's Tale] and hope you will love it too.

Opinion- A Rat's Tale is plain out great. It is very exciting with some laughs. Tor Siedler is fabulous and the illustrations are fantastic. Also it hass cool characters to relate to. A Rat's tale has an understandable concept and is one of the best books i have read.

Recomendations-I think people from 4th through 7th grade should read this book. I say that because children below 4th grade might not understand some vocabulary. I also recomend this to kids who like talking animals like in Stuart Little or Charlotte's Web.

Montague Mad-Rat is a rat born to a family he is ashamed of, he goes on a jorney to save all of rat kind!On his quest he meets many unforgetable characters, and uncovers the secret of his long lost uncle who's name has tortured Montague all his life. This is my absolute favorite book, I have read it three times. It is wonderful! If you enjoy this book, you will enjoy "The Wainscot Weasle" another book by the same author also about a determined little creature. If I could give this book more than five stars, believe me I would!

Filled with imagination, adventure, love, sadness, joyfulness and the pure genious of Mr. Seidler's writing. It can touch any age with it's simple beauty. It sets a whole new respect for the animals we so often take for granted. It follows the adventures of a rat who lives a life of timidicy and fear. Who risks his life many times to save all of ratdom. A definate page turner, especially if you live in New York! Just a treasure. You HAVE to read this book.

This was one of the best books I have ever read. I am 11 years old, and the reason I got that book was because I have a rat. This book really makes you think twice about rats, and lets you see the difference from upper-class wharf rats to paw-working sewer rats. I rate this as it should be rated, very highly.

Monty is an insecure rat, insecure because he and his family live in a sewer and create works of art, which is frowned on by the higher class society of wharf rats. Additionally he shares his name with his Uncle Moony, a drunken creator of decorated rings, which shames him because of the derision of the other rats. An interest in the pretty Isabel and a crisis helps him to overcome his insecurity and his shame. I bought this book because I'd just acquired 2 pet rats, and ended up hooked on Tor Seidler. He truly cares about his characters, and while the stories are for children, they aren't childish. Adults with a little imagination will enjoy his animal stories as much as the kids do.

Montague Mad-Rat lives in the sewers of New York City with his family. Every year the rats pay a man not to poison them, but when his nephew takes over, they decide to raise $100,000, instead of the usual $50,000. Montague and his uncle play a huge roll in donating the money, just by selling some tiny shells that Montague had painted. Montague also likes a she-rat, Isabel, who's father is at a high place in the rat-goverment.

Montague is an isolated sewer rat (sewer rats are very unappreciated) who lives with his parents and many rattling siblings. Montague spends his days collecting berries and feathers for his mother. She then creates beautiful rat hats with the supplies. One day, while Montague is gathering his supplies, he stumbles upon the most breath-taking rat he has ever seen. Her name is Isabelle Moberly-Rat. Somehow, she is left behind by her family and does not know how to get home. But not to worry- since Montague is a sewer rat, he can take her home by going through the sewers. The only problem is that Isabelle lives in the Wharfs. The Wharfs is the place where rich rats live. So Montague feels pressured into saying that he too lives in the Wharfs. Impressing Isabelle is not the only dilemma Montague has to face. He also has to try to save all the wharfs from being poisoned by the owners. To stop this action, Montague has to collect one hundred thousand dollars and pay it to the owners. If he doesn't, the whole population of Wharf rats will be doomed. This book is well written and the characters are admirable. The story is Romeo and Juliet rat - style. The author does an impressive job of telling the epic love story between two rats. This book deserves a five star rating because not one part of it is disappointing and it is a fantastic story.

I am 8 years old and I loved this book. It is one of the best books I have ever read. My favourite character was Isabel and the end was great where they both have the rings on their tails. If you liked "Charlotte's Web" you will love this book.