posted on 07 Apr 2025

Remus and the Remarkable Rat Rescue by Sharon Baker, illustrated by Ed Foxell

On the opening page we see that Preston the Rat is more than content with his life living in a huge and comfortable garden. He has plenty of available food that includes crab apples, tulip bulbs and the occasional ‘stealthy raid on the kitchen waste bin’. Despite the stereotypical view that rats are rather dirty creatures, Preston is proud to keep clean and tidy with a daily wash in the ornate bird bath. He has a cosy underground home that even includes a games room with a tiny dartboard!

Everything is disrupted when he is joined by skinny Remus, a sewer-rat who comes from a distant place where he has endured the effects of terrible floods. The reader gets some useful background about his big, noisy family in the city and how he ended up trapped in the back of a van which transported him far from home. Preston had always wanted a companion but Remus comes from such a different world that he is quite a challenging guest at first. Other creatures are more welcoming and encourage him to rest but it takes Preston a while for him to recognise his many qualities that include musical talent.

As they get to know one another they are able to work as a team to get back to find and rescue his family from the waterlogged city streets, so that they can hopefully enjoy a better and safer life.

The plentiful black and white illustrations contribute to the atmosphere of the story and help to build the characters. Although this is a slim book, the author manages to include interesting information about climate change which will give food for thought for young readers and hopefully inspire class discussion. There are also underlying themes of bravery, friendship, empathy and welcoming strangers into a community which again has resonance with the real world.

I recommend this gentle story published by Tiny Tree Books which should be available from your local independent bookshop. If not already on their shelves, they will be happy to order it for you or you can buy direct from tinytreebooks.com

 

Karen Argent

April 2025