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I Was a Rat! Or, The Scarlet Slippers and The Scarecrow and his Servant

Brief Description
I was a rat! So insists a scruffy boy named Roger. Maybe it’s true, but what is he now? A terrifying monster running wild in the sewers? The Daily Scourge is sure of it. A victim of ‘Rodent Delusion’? The hospital nurse says yes. A lucrative... Read More
Format: Hardback
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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

I was a rat! So insists a scruffy boy named Roger. Maybe it’s true, but what is he now? A terrifying monster running wild in the sewers? The Daily Scourge is sure of it. A victim of ‘Rodent Delusion’? The hospital nurse says yes. A lucrative fairground attraction? He is to Mr. Tapscrew. Or is Roger just an ordinary little boy?

Only three people believe this version of the story, and it may take a royal intervention–and a bit of magic–to convince everyone else. A playful parody of the press, I Was a Rat! is a magical weaving of humour, fairy tale, and adventure.

When, in A Scarecrow and His Servant, a bolt of lightning brings Scarecrow to life, he proves to be a courteous but pea-brained fellow with grand ideas. He meets a boy, Jack, who becomes his faithful servant, and the two embark upon a terrifying series of adventures–including battles, brigands, broken hearts, and treasure islands. But little does the Scarecrow know that he is being followed by a family who desperately wishes he’d never sprung to life.

Two stories of myth, magic and adventure from the master teller of tales.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781841599557

Publisher: Everyman

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 04 September 2025

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Everyman's Library Children's Classics

Contributors:

  • Illustrated by Peter Bailey

Audience: Children

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 40.0mm

Width: 163.0mm

Height: 216.0mm

Weight: 750g

Pages: 384

About the Author

Philip Pullman was born in Norwich and educated in England, Zimbabwe, Australia and Wales. He studied English at Exeter College, Oxford. His first children's book, Count Karlstein, was published in 1982. To date, he has published thirty-three books, read by children and adults alike. His most famous work is the His Dark Materials trilogy. These books have been honoured by several prizes including the Carnegie Medal, the Guardian Children's Book Prize, and (for The Amber Spyglass) the Whitbread Book of the Year Award - the first time that prize had been given to a children's book. Pullman has received numerous other awards, including the Eleanor Farjeon Award and the Astrid Lindgren Award. He was knighted in the 2019 New Year's Honours List for Services to Literature.

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