Cinderella's Rat

Meddaugh, Susan

ISBN 10: 0395868335 ISBN 13: 9780395868331

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1997

Synopsis

Cartoonish artwork accompanies the tale of a rat who finds himself turned into Cinderella's coach driver at the hands of her fairy godmother, an overworked wizard who abuses her powers to truly strange ends, in a humorous rendition of the Cinderella tale.

About this title

Review:

Sometimes even the most ordinary rat can experience the extraordinary. "I was born a rat. I expected to be a rat all my days. But life is full of surprises." So begins Susan Meddaugh's wonderfully understated, comically illustrated Cinderella's Rat. Life is no picnic for a rat, the rodent narrator is quick to point out: "Cats are plentiful and food is scarce." Blinded by hunger, he and his sister Ruth fall into an obvious trap. Just when they are making their escape, the narrator rat is magically transformed into a coachboy.

The next thing the rodent coachboy knows, a stern old woman is telling him to drive a girl to the castle in his pumpkin-like coach. Once at the castle, the coachboy, at heart still a rat, is drawn to the kitchen by the smell of food. The cook--spotting a good helper--instantly sends him down to the larder, where the rat-boy promptly dives into an open bag of grain. A castle-dwelling boy catches him in the act, and suggests that bread would perhaps taste better. They munch bread, side by side. Suddenly they see a rat! "KILL IT," shouts the castle boy. "STOP! THAT'S MY SISTER!" shouts the former rat. The coachboy fears discovery, and imminent ratribution, but a strange plot twist saves his skin. "Life is full of surprises, so you may as well get used to it," the book concludes, and we, as readers, are reminded that change--even transmogrification--isn't necessarily a bad thing. Meddaugh fans should not miss her critically acclaimed talking-dog books Martha Speaks, Martha Blah Blah, and Martha Calling. (Ages 4 to 8) --Karin Snelson

About the Author:

Susan Meddaugh was born and raised in Montclair, New Jersey. She graduated from Wheaton College, where she studied French literature and fine arts. After working briefly with an advertising agency in New York, she moved to Boston and worked at a publishing company for ten years, first as a designer, then art editor, and finally as art director. While there, she did the illustrations for GOOD STONES (Houghton Mifflin) by Anne Epstein, and then decided to strike out on her own as a freelance illustrator and creator of children's books. Since that time, Susan has written and illustrated many popular books for children, including MARTHA SPEAKS, which was chosen as a NEW YORK TIMES Best Illustrated Book for 1992. In 1998 she was awarded the New England Book Award, given by the New England Booksellers Association to recognize a body of work. Her work also was acknowledged with a New York Times Best Illustrated Award. She lives in Sherborn, Massachusetts.

About this edition

• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0395868335
• ISBN 13: 9780395868331
• Binding: School & Library Binding
• Number of pages: 32