Able to claw straight up a brick wall, squeeze through a pipe the width of a quarter, and gnaw through iron and concrete, rats are also revealed in this fascinating book to be incredibly intelligent and capable of compassion. Weaving together science, history, culture, and folklore, award-winning writer Albert Marrin offers a look at rats that goes from the curious to repulsive, horrifying to comic, fearsome to inspiring. Arresting black-and-white scratchboard illustrations with bold red accents add visual punch to this study of a creature that has annoyed, disgusted, nourished, and intrigued its human neighbours for centuries.

 

There are 112 pages in this book. This book was published 2014 by Penguin Putnam Inc .

Albert Marrin is the author of many award-winning nonfiction books for young people and is the recipient of many honors, including the Washington Post Nonfiction Award for "outstanding lifetime contribution [that] has enriched the field of children's literature. " C. B. Mordan has illustrated several children's books, including Silent Movie by Avi and Guinea Pig Scientists by Mel Boring and Leslie Dendy. He lives in Kansas.