The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents

Book Description

Winner of the 2001 Carnegie Medal

One rat, popping up here and there, squeaking loudly, and taking a bath in the cream, could be a plague all by himself. After a few days of this, it was amazing how glad people were to see the kid with his magical rat pipe. And they were amazing when the rats followed hint out of town.

They'd have been really amazed if they'd ever found out that the rats and the piper met up with a cat somewhere outside of town and solemnly counted out the money.

The Amazing Maurice runs the perfect Pied Piper scam. This streetwise alley cat knows the value of cold, hard cash and can talk his way into and out of anything. But when Maurice and his cohorts decide to con the town of Bad Blinitz, it will take more than fast talking to survive the danger that awaits. For this is a town where food is scarce and rats are hated, where cellars are lined with deadly traps, and where a terrifying evil lurks beneath the hunger-stricken streets....

Set in Terry Pratchett's widely popular Discworld, this masterfully crafted, gripping read is both compelling and funny. When one of the world's most acclaimed fantasy writers turns a classic fairy tale on its head, no one will ever look at the Pied Piper -- or rats -- the same way again!

Customer Reviews:

Is this book really for kids?.......2007-07-05

I found this book to be immensely entertaining. Despite relatively clean jokes, this doesn't really seem all that different from the rest of the Discworld series, in terms of reading difficulty. However, I imagine I might say otherwise, were I still in elementary school.

Pratchett.......2007-06-14

What can I say, it is Terry Pratchett. As with all things written or produced by this strange man: It is outstanding.

Not for kiddies.......2006-12-27

I read this when it came out, thinking that perhaps it might be OK to share with my children. Note, please, that it was not marketed or labeled as young adult fiction when I bought it. I found it to be one of the darkest and least funny of the discworld novels, and not at all appropriate for my kids at that time. I didn't think about it again until, to my horror, my sister-in-law gave a copy to my ten-year-old son. My thirteen-year-old might be OK with the cruelty, starvation, cannibalism, animal pit-fighting, and so forth, but not the 10-year-old. This book is deep Pratchet, and as such, not for children. I was appalled to see that it is now being sold as a children's book. I would never offer this book to someone in middle school or younger unless I knew him and his reading level very well.

Genuine Pratchett for the younger reader.......2006-11-04

Pratchett keeps his keen edge when writing for a young audience. In this book he's created characters who are relatively complex people trying to shape a society and find meaning in their lives, and oh yeah, they happen to be a colony of rats, led by an alley cat with con-man tendencies. The book is imaginative and engaging, with an adventurous and sometimes creepy story line. Great stuff.

Hey you . . . stupid looking kid . . . .......2006-10-15

Maurice is a great character, exactly what a talking cat would be like. The story is an interesting spin on the story of the piper who plays the rats out of town that is set in Discworld. The story has the wit and humor that all of Terry Pratchett's books have. A really enjoyable read for kid and adult fans of Terry Pratchett. It also has a good moral about working together to solve problems, but really you could ignore that if you wanted . . .

The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents

Average customer rating:

Pratchett amuzes to the last.
Haven't really read it, but noticed a similarity to....
He does better...
Dragging down the curve...
Great Story

The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents
Terry Pratchett
Manufacturer: HarperTeen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books

Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books

The Wee Free Men
A Hat Full of Sky
Wintersmith
The Bromeliad Trilogy: Truckers, Diggers, and Wings
Where's My Cow?

ASIN: 0060012331
Release Date: 2001-11-06

Book Description

Winner of the 2001 Carnegie Medal

They'd have been really amazed if they'd ever found out that the rats and the piper met up with a cat somewhere outside of town and solemnly counted out the money.

Customer Reviews:

Pratchett amuzes to the last........2006-01-19

I bought this book a couple of years ago to read to my little brother and we both thoroughly enjoyed it. There were places i literally had to stop because i couldn't catch my breath for the laughter.
I've been a fan of the discworld idea for a while now, having played games and watched an animated production of Soul Music. But this was the first book i'd fully read. And i have to say that it lives up to the hype.
Following the exploits of a boy, a cat, and a group of rodents who go town to town acting like pied pipers. I couldn't get over how they worked the scam. At this next town they're heading to though they get caught up in a little bit of a muddle and it really doesn't dissapoint.
With insane antics the whole way through. Even at one point having the Cat, Maurice, standing face to face with Death and them both going: "Not You Again!"
Its a sweet piece of insanity that i looked forward to coming back to every time we read a new chapter.
I would definately recommend it.

Haven't really read it, but noticed a similarity to...........2004-10-25

Ok, I have not read any of the Discworld series at this point in time, but the title struck me as a bit of an allusion or, oppositely, an originator for Mr. Bobo's Mouse Circus in Neil Gaimans "Coraline" (great book, for a kids book)...does it interest anyone to know that Gaiman and Pratchett intersected about 1990 or so to write a novel together, "Good Omens" (another kick-nuts book)?

He does better..........2004-05-19

Maurice is a very clever talking cat. He travels from town to town in Discworld with a band of taking rats and a boy (who probably talks the least). Together, they run a "Pied Piper" scam. Now they've just arrived in Bad Blinitz, but what they don't now is this town is different from the others they've swindled. They join up with the Mayor's daughter (probably the best character) to try and solve the strange going ons the town is experiencing. Got quite confusing in a couple of bits, which is one of the reasons I gave it a lower rating. Also, I felt like Pratchett's usual originality was sort of stifled in it.

Dragging down the curve..........2004-01-22

I'm a diehard Pratchett fan, and so when I bought this book after reading all the novels (up to The Last Hero), I felt distinctly let down. This wasn't a bad book in any way except comparing it to Terry's earlier works of two decades of witty retorts and spliced fables. This book has the same sort of premise, but has a distinct 'lite' feel about it, presumably for the younger audience he seems to be aiming for. The sad truth is this is not a kid's story, and the stripped-down vocabulary does not do justice to Terry's writing skills. All in all, this is, I say again, not a children's book and will not pass muster for the teenagers and the adults: It winds up in a no-man's land in the middle.

Great Story.......2004-01-07

The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents is a satirical readaptation of The Pied Piper of Hamlin.

Maurice and his educated rats lived near a wizard university where Maurice would beg kitchen scraps and the rats lived in their garbage pile. Somehow one of the failed spells made them self aware and able to speak and reason. After Maurice meets Keith or the stupid looking kid as he called by the animals, he comes up with a plan for the three parties to go into business with one another. Essentially the rats invade a town and Maurice and the boy playing his pennywhistle show up to save the day.

In Bad Blintz, they discover a conspiracy amongst the rat catchers that threatens to destroy them all and must find a way to get the mayor and the constabulary to listen to them.

Customer Reviews:

Dancing rats.......2004-12-07

Terry Pratchett's Discworld series has topped British bestseller lists for years and has a sizable fanbase in the United States as well. Now, with rodent adventure "The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents," Pratchett expands Discworld from adult fantasy to young adult fantasy as well.

A boy, a cat, and a troupe of rats arrive at the town of Bad Blintz. But while Keith is normal, feline Maurice and his "educated rodents" are not -- they speak, think, and are self-aware (they ate wizards' garbage). And they have a nice racket going, where the rats pretend to infest a town (they gnaw things and "widdle" on the flour), and Keith poses as a piper to lead them away. But something is wrong with Bad Blintz -- there are no native rats, yet the rat-catchers claim that there's an outright plague of them, and are producing rat-tails to prove it. (They bear a remarkable resemblance to shoelaces)

With the help of a too-imaginative-for-her-own good girl named Malicia, Keith and Maurice begin to investigate why all the rats are gone, and what the rat-catchers are up to. But when they discover the conspiracy, Maurice starts hearing the voice of something down in the sewers -- something evil, something powerful, something that can command hundreds of rats...

Pratchett is reknowned for his new spins on old material. Much as he gave a new spin to MacBeth in "Wyrd Sisters," here he gives a new spin to the "Pied Piper" legend, with some interesting philosophy and his trademarked humor as well. Does the idea of talking animals and preteens make you cringe? Don't -- Pratchett handles it with rare style.

There's plenty of humor in this book, from the names of the rats (Dangerous Beans, Additives, Big Savings, Toxie) to Sardines, the tap-dancing rat with a hat to the incident with the laxatives. His dialogue is still brilliant, especially when he deflates tense scenes ("Think of my dear wife and my four lovely children who'll be without their daddy!" "You're not married. You don't have any children!" "I might want some day!").

But Pratchett doesn't forget the deeper currents either -- the sense of evil he builds up is very genuine, and Spider is one of the most unique fantasy villains he's created. Also good is the attitude of the Changed rats: they cherish their greater intelligence, fear their instincts, and gradually we see them overcome some of those ratty instincts. Rather than eating one of their dead, they bury him like humans do.

Keith is a nice character, seeming dim but surprisingly intelligent. Maurice is the character that Pratchett does best -- he seems, initially, to have no good characteristis, but he's a good person underneath. (With a dirty little secret involving one of the rats) The Educated Rodents are all given individual personalities that Pratchett juggles very well. And Dangerous Beans, a little blind rat, has one of the best scenes in which he confronts the mysterious Spider.

"The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents" isn't actually that different from Pratchett's adult fantasies, and older fans of that series will enjoy this one just as much as the kids. Witty, thought-provoking, entertaining.

Average customer rating:

The Educated Cat
George Ney , and Susan S. Fadem
Manufacturer: Plume
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0525483454

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The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents
Terry Pratchett
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
ASIN: B000NOKC42

The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents (Unabridged)

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The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents (Unabridged)
Terry Pratchett
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
ASIN: B0002P0E6S

Nutcracker and mouse king ;: And, The educated cat (Children's library)

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Nutcracker and mouse king ;: And, The educated cat (Children's library)
E. T. A Hoffmann
Manufacturer: T. Fisher Unwin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Fairy Tales | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0008C5QHM

Wire in Design: Modern Wire Art & Mixed Media (Jewelry Crafts)
Average customer rating:

Wire Book

An Inspiring Book - from cover to cover

Creatively Inspiring

Must have for your wire library

First rate book on designing with wire

Wire in Design: Modern Wire Art & Mixed Media (Jewelry Crafts)
Barbara A. McGuire
Manufacturer: Krause Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Sculpture | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Metal Work | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Wire & Glass (Jewelry Crafts)

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ASIN: 0873492188

Book Description

Wire is hot. The craft has held fascination for many years, but has only come into the limelight as of late. Now anyone with an interest in wire's rich past or the desire to explore this creative medium will find everything they need in this comprehensive volume! Besides giving an overview of how artists have used wire effectively in their art, author and designer Barbara A. McGuire will teach readers the basics of handling wire and about its unique properties.

McGuire is the author of the highly regarded Foundations in Polymer Clay Design.

- 20 projects, including jewelry, functional accessories, and sculptures
- Complete guide to wire techniques and applications
- Showcases the work of talented artists from yesterday and today

Customer Reviews:

Wire Book.......2007-07-09

I liked the begining of this book when they talked about wire and different properties. It was a little too focused on non jewelry items for my liking. However, I did learn some good things. A lot of the designs were somewhat complicated and fanciful for my taste.

I just think it's an okay book.

An Inspiring Book - from cover to cover.......2007-02-08

This was one of the first books I bought when I started making jewelry and is still by far, the most inspirational. The variety of the artists covered and their different styles is what I love. The section on Lynne Merchant was truly one of the reasons I started working with wire, and my life has never been the same! The projects offered in this are interesting and offer a nice opportunity for a person to follow the directions, but still end up with something completely unique.
[...]

Creatively Inspiring .......2006-06-21

This book has beautiful illustrations, detailed and well chosen content and a nice cross section of the artists' crafts in wire. Best of all, it inspires the creative spark.

Must have for your wire library.......2006-04-01

This book is a wonderful look into the world of wire jewelry and other wire made products. If you are a serious wire artist then this book will hold your interest. If you are just buying it for wire projects then I would not recommend you buy it. Although the projects are laid out well and easy to follow they are not the best collection of projects I've seen. I was more impressed with the content of the beginning of the book the delves into the world of wire working and design. BUY THIS BOOK if you have a love for wire. You will not be disappointed.

First rate book on designing with wire.......2005-02-18

Above all, this book shares with us a detailed article (with pictures!) with one of the most influential wire jewelry artisans of the past decade - Lynne Merchant. IMHO, the recently popular thick, oxidized silver, tribal/ethnic, coiled/wrapped style starts with her.

It's interesting to see that at least three of the other artists profiled in the book have mentioned taking classes with Lynne. To see their work, and how they have taken the skills that they have learned from Lynne and utilzed them to develop a style of their own, is just fantastic.

Wire in Design: modern wire art and mixed media

Average customer rating:

Wire in Design: modern wire art and mixed media
Barbara A. McGuire
Manufacturer: see notes for publisher info
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000Q5SQKA

Kidding Ourselves: Breadwinning, Babies, and Bargaining Power
Average customer rating:

Practical, not depressing

Very informative, with good advice

A MUST for young women planning work and a family

The thinking woman's baby shower gift

Good book to make you think - whether you agree or not

Kidding Ourselves: Breadwinning, Babies, and Bargaining Power
Rhona Mahony
Manufacturer: Basic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Gender Studies | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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Marriage & Family | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
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Accessories:

Braun IRT 4020 ThermoScan Ear Thermometer

ASIN: 0465085946

Book Description

Why do so many smart, career-oriented, even ardently feminist women end up with nearly sole responsibility for running their households and raising their children? Why does it happen even in couples who had promised to share that work equally?

Kidding Ourselves traces the decisions that women and men make -- usually unwittingly -- before and after marriage, and especially after the birth of a child, that lead inevitably to an old-fashioned division of labor at home. It also explains why change is necessary. As long as nearly all men devote themselves first and foremost to paying work, they will on average out-earn women, who reduce their hours and travel in their paying job once they have a child. With this groundbreaking book, Rhona Mahony suggests practical ways to bring men into child raising and end the unfair burden of women's second shift.

Customer Reviews:

Practical, not depressing.......2007-02-23

I was really surprised that I hadn't heard of this book before now, considering that it is cited by a number of other popular books on working and motherhood (such as Flux, The Price of Motherhood, Sylvia Ann Hewlett's book, Linda Hirshman's controversial book Get To Work). However, it is a relatively academic, smart book that relies on thinking and research to argue its case, rather than solely on anecdotes. The anecdotes/composites serve to illustrate the argument rather than advance it.

Mahony covers negotiating with your husband over childcare and housework. She gives advice on how to strengthen your position, but much of those actions must take place long before you have a child. They center around setting yourself up with a lucrative career (so taking plenty of math in high school, majoring in something like engineering, economics, etc. in college). For those of you who didn't take this path, she does offer ways to strengthen your position (like taking training courses to make yourself more employable, etc.), and she also offers ways to approach the situation that are likely to be persuasive.

She also offers a discussion of how society needs to change to make a more equal distribution of domestic labor possible on a wide scale. Some of these suggestions may be merely theoretical, such as women marrying men who make less money/have less education, something Mahony admits she didn't do, as she married laterally. Marrying down seems to be less important than marrying someone who ascribes to notions of fairness and equality. However, her suggestions are still worth thinking about. By far the suggestion that would have the most impact for all women is the notion that society needs to change the way it values domestic work. Hey, it could happen, although maybe one couple at a time.

Very informative, with good advice.......2001-11-08

It's too bad that this book is out of print and
(to judge by the few reviews) apparently not widely-read.
It provides what are perhaps the first and only
published guidelines for working toward economic and
political parity in marriages where there is a
part-time or full-time stay-at-home mom. Buy this
book first, before you read all the other books
on transitioning fronm workplace to home.

A MUST for young women planning work and a family.......2000-05-02

This book is an excellent combination of empirical research, helpful anecdotes, and forward thinking. I wish that I had read this book at the start of my career. Perhaps I would have made the same decisions, which were largely based on emotions and "good faith." But reading this book would have provided a healthy dose of rationality as well as helpful warning signs to watch out for when facing the challenges of balancing career and family life.

The thinking woman's baby shower gift.......1999-09-21

This is a stellar book and will especially resonate with women who have studied economics, law or negotiation. Mahony uses common frameworks (for instance, BATNA - best alternative to no agreement) to analyze the day to day choices parents make. She comes up with some powerful suggestions for change. Don't "marry up" if you want a career, marry someone who will not make as many professional demands on your family life -- maybe someone who makes less money. There's a radical idea for most professional women. Buy this for your feminist MBA friends.

Good book to make you think - whether you agree or not.......1997-11-15

This starts a dialogue on some of the issues facing dual earner couples. Clearly geared toward the 35-45 year old crowd. Younger women may feel alienated by some of the assumptions that she makes. A great place to start looking at some of the issues yourself, whether or not you agree with her final analysis.

For those brought up in a milieu that expected women to do primary parenting, this will be shocking and controversial. She argues that a main issue is whether or not women will let men take care of children. Whether you agree or not with the outcome - she brings up questions that we all should be asking ourselves about the nature of "fairness" and "gender equality vs equity" - as well as who is really holding back women now?

Kidding Ourselves: Breadwinning, Babies, and Bargaining Power.
Average customer rating:
Kidding Ourselves: Breadwinning, Babies, and Bargaining Power.
Rhona Mahony
Manufacturer: see notes for publisher info
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000M3W6C0

Average customer rating:
Kidding Ourselves: Breadwinning, Babies, and Bargaining Power.

Manufacturer: 0
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000ICQX38

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