I am such a sucker for photographic books portraying the lives of fabulous storybook characters but this pictorial essay of this delightful rodent just takes the cheese.
Strangely beautiful, this odd little tale follows the journey of M. Rat as he orders a moustache-enhancing tonic – and applies it with unexpected results. Will his new moustachey-whiskers ever stop growing?
Mon Dieu! Quelle problème! His whiskers are so long, he piles them on his head, carries them in shopping bags, has a friend knit them into a scarf… but on and on they grow.
One day, a desperate M. Rat hears an ad on the radio for Dr Moustako – an expert in moustachology. Surely he can help our friend with his whiskery problem. And so, M. Rat sets out on a journey to find Moustako – again, with unexpected results.
Moralistic in the most superbly subtle and edgy way, this divine little book, set in Parisian city scapes is not only hilarious and visually coo-able, it will truly warm your heart. I can’t even imagine the fun these gals had making this book and my only gripe is that the book isn’t presented in a larger format.
More Rat, please!
Title: Monsieur Rat
Author: Frederica Mossetti
Photographers: Debora Manca and Giovanna Marino
Publisher: Black Dog Books, A$14.99 RRP
Publication Date: 1 September 2010
Format: Hard cover
ISBN: 9781742030630
For ages: 2+
Type: Picture Book