Don't Be A Rat! (Hurrah for Ethelyn - Babette Cole)

Member Name: tb4ms

Product:	Hurrah for Ethelyn - Babette Cole
Date:	05/08/07 (126 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Witty use of language and great illustrations

Disadvantages: Some of the language may have to be explained

I read this to my Year 2 class (age 6-7) and they thoroghly enjoyed it although I have to admit that some of the clever use of language had to be explained to them.

~ Babette Cole ~

Born in Jersey, Babette went to a convent school and went on to get a degree at Art School in Canterbury.

She began her career drawing for Jackanory and TV comics. Her first book was published in 1976 and since then she has written more than seventy, the most famous is probably 'Mummy Laid an Egg'.

Babette Cole is renowned for her funny, witty, unconventional approach to children's books.

For more information visit her official website at www.babette-cole.com

~ Hurrah for Ethelyn ~

Ethelyn is a very clever rat who wanted to be a brain surgeon. She won a scholarship to 'Cheddar Gables College for Richer Ratlettes'.

Ethelyn's biggest problem are the school bullies, led by Tina Toerat. They were jealous of her due to her brains and went to great lengths to make her life unbearable, e.g. ink in her knickers, called her rude names etc... They even set her up as stealing the head teacher's expensive French cheeses.

Locked in the attic, Ethelyn wrote to her brother, pleading for his help. Together they caught the ghost which was in fact Tina Toerat and her gang dressed up in a large white sheet. Tina got injured and it had to be Ethelyn who operated and saved Tina.

So Ethelyn became the most popular rat in the school! ............If only it was so easy in real life to beat the bullies!!

~ Style and Format ~

There isn't a lot of text in this book so great for emergent readers. This book is probably more suitable for 5+ children, there is a clever use of language, such as dormousery, 'I'm sorry I was such a rat!' etc..

~ Illustrations ~

Babette Cole is a talented illustrator and the illustrations in this book are excellent. My favourite page is when Ethelyn and Errol 'uncover' the ghost and all the ratlette bullies are thrown around the room, their huge, bulging, shocked eyes tell it all!

~ Other Babette Cole Books ~

* Princess Smartypants
* Hair in funny places
* Two of everything
* The trouble with Mum
* Prince Cinders
* Three cheers for Errol
* The silly book

~ Price ~

ISBN: 0-7497-1013-6, paperback copy is £4.50. However I've looked for cheaper options on amazon and some are outrageously expensive, e.g. hardcovers start from £65.00!!

~ My Verdict ~

A good book that deals with the problems of bullying although not in great depth. It's also a useful tool to read to a bright child who is perhaps suffering at the hands of jelous peers. The danger, however is that it makes it look so easy to change from the bullied to the most popular member of the school and let's face it, that just doesn't happen!
I enjoyed this book as did the children and it gave us an opportunity to discuss bullying etc..

Summary: Another 'different' children's book by Babette Cole