The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents by Terry Pratchett

A talking cat in league with a bunch of talking rats and a young human with a pipe.  What could go wrong?  Nothing, until this travelling band reaches the remote town of Bad Blintz.  Then they find something nasty is waiting for them just below the surface.

This is Terry Pratchett's first Young Adult novel.  It is set on the Discworld.  The plot is clever, full of twists and rattles along at a jolly pace.  The jokes are fresh and the narrative style is crisp and refreshing.

Pratchett explores many themes in this book: power, utopian dreams, kindness and cruelty. He draws parallels between rats and humans, and the humans don't come out so well.  It seems he is preparing the younger readers for some of the realities of adult life.  The balloon of utopian thinking is well and truly popped in this one.  As is usual with Pratchett, the darker truths of life are leavened with humour and are, therefore, that much more palatable.  No doubt about it, Pratchett is a master of satire.

This book can be enjoyed by adults and adolescents alike.  I liked it, and so did my inner child.