Ship Rats: A Tale of Heroism on the High Seas by Rhian Waller (Chidren's, 9 years +, 10/10E)

 

2018, Independently published, 120 pages, Ebook, Review copy 

Book summary

Ship Rats is an animal fantasy adventure set in the 1700s. It is part of a trilogy charting the voyages of Lu, Rip and Preen, three young rats who end up as accidental stowaways on a Dutch freighter. They face storms, hostile ship rats, drunken sailors and more; and this is only the start of their voyage around the world... Children aged 5-7 may enjoy reading this book with adults. Readers aged 7-9 may enjoy reading independently. This book supports APOPO which trains HeroRATS to save lives. Visit www.apopo.org or www.facebook.com/rhiwaller for details.

Nayu's thoughts 

I love animal tales (& tails!) and was a bit hesitant to review the book because at the moment I am not really in the mood for historical reads, however I read the first few paragraphs and was hooked. The rats are so freaking cute!!!!  The family ties the siblings have on their adventure helps them through the rough patches, which were most of it. They find themselves in the kingdom of a tyrant rat who is beyond cruel to them and others, having usurped the rat throne from another. The siblings have to undergo trials which are constructed in a way that sets them to fail, but by digging deep inside their inner strength they manage to overcome them, after harrowing moments that had me on the edge of my set. It is the first book I've read by Rhian so I wasn't to know if she was mean enough to make them die! She isn't, but there are some close shaves. 

I enjoyed seeing life from Lu and her siblings point of view. Lu wanted excitement and she got it! They all discovered how big and dangerous the world outside their snug and cosy home is. I liked seeing how they viewed humans and human possessions, how agile and sneaky they were in getting food, how they did have some help, they weren't entirely on their own on the strange ship. I liked that they even get to know a human, who does end up being able to help them by the end. I am excited to read the next instalment in the series! 

Find out more on Rhian's website.

Suggested read

For another book that will make you look differently at a human place check out The Secret Lives of Fruits and Veggies: The First Batch by Symone Marcella and A. J. Cosmo (Children's, 7 years +, 10E/10E)