Oh, Rats!

Phoenix the squirrel is used to being “the pick of the litter... the biggest of the bunch, with the most lustrous fur.” But after being snatched by a red-tailed hawk, haughty Phoenix finds himself battered and furless in Manhattan, far from his forest home in N.J. After being unceremoniously dropped in hot tar, then nearly drowned in the Hudson River, he is rescued by two wharf rat siblings: inquisitive Lucy and brainy Beckett. Though he initially holds some stereotypical opinions about rats, the squirrel, an excellent climber with a unique knowledge of electricity, soon finds himself center stage in the rats’ battle against gentrification and the approaching demolition of their pier. Seidler (Firstborn) convincingly portrays rodent-human parallels; the rats’ diverse community is passionately united as they fight to save their home, sabotaging electrical grids to raise awareness and sending strongly worded letters (written by Beckett) to voice their dissent. Soft black-and-white spot illustrations by Evans (the Little Paws series) add further charm to this animal adventure with direct social commentary. Ages 8–12. [em](Aug.) [/em]