Jigsaw, Ripple, and Onion are joined by Fancy Rat, who we met in the last book.
Onion still loves, loves, loves his food. Ripple is actually quite canny when he wants to be. And Fancy Rat is just that, a rat with pretty high expectations. Whereas Jigsaw
remains the good one, the rat who wants to please everyone, and worries when they don't follow the rules.
In Best of Pests the Ratbags have an all new challenge to face, and it's a pretty serious one. A new pest control is brought in, and it's a robot. Technology has come to town!
Rat traps are everywhere and the Ratbags must work out how to deal with them. Even Mr Pecky and his pizza shop are affected. Will the Ratbags' love of pizza and peanut butter be their undoing? Or will they be able to trick the White Boots Pest Control?
There are underlying things to discover in both the text and illustrations. Watch out for Derek the cockroach and his slightly off-stage appearances throughout. And Cracker the cat also makes a crucial appearance, but you'll need to read the story to discover whose side he's really on.
Tim Harris and Shiloh Gordon are definitely onto a winner with this series. Ratbags: Best of Pests has an animated plot, a colourful cast of characters, and cartoon-style illustrations. It's the same successful formula as Naughty for Good and Midnight Mischief, and I can imagine the stories being brought to life on screen, too.
The Ratbags series is the solution to keeping your kids entertained.
Teaching notes (including some handy worksheets) are available for book one and can be downloaded from the author's website.
Title: Ratbags: Best of Pests
Author: Tim Harris
Illustrator: Shiloh Gordon
Publisher: Puffin, $14.99
Publication Date: July 2023
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9780143777472
For ages: 6+
Type: Graphic Novel
