The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents by Terry Pratchett

Title: The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents 
Author: Terry Pratchett 
Type: Young Adult Novel 
Genre: Fantasy 
Series: Part of the Discworld Series but stands alone 
Pages: 340 
Copyright: 2001 
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers 
Rating: 3.5 out of 5


Summary: from Goodreads
One rat, popping up here and there, squeaking loudly, and taking a bath in the cream, could be a plague all by himself. After a few days of this, it was amazing how glad people were to see the kid with his magical rat pipe. And they were amazing when the rats followed hint out of town.

They'd have been really amazed if they'd ever found out that the rats and the piper met up with a cat somewhere outside of town and solemnly counted out the money.

The Amazing Maurice runs the perfect Pied Piper scam. This streetwise alley cat knows the value of cold, hard cash and can talk his way into and out of anything. But when Maurice and his cohorts decide to con the town of Bad Blinitz, it will take more than fast talking to survive the danger that awaits. For this is a town where food is scarce and rats are hated, where cellars are lined with deadly traps, and where a terrifying evil lurks beneath the hunger-stricken streets....

Set in Terry Pratchett's widely popular Discworld, this masterfully crafted, gripping read is both compelling and funny. When one of the world's most acclaimed fantasy writers turns a classic fairy tale on its head, no one will ever look at the Pied Piper -- or rats -- the same way again!

Feelings: 
I wasn't sure about this book for the first two chapters but then I really enjoyed it. I have not read much Terry Pratchett in the past so I am not familiar with the discworld series. This story stood alone and I didn't need to know the rest of the world for this to be a fun story.

Maurice is a cat, however, he can think now. What happens when you give a cat a conscious and there are also talking rats? Let's just say that some behavior ends up being a little less like a cat or a rat and more human. I think that is part of the reason that I was able to really get into the book and enjoy it.

There were two human characters that played a major role in the story but most of the characters were animals. It was nice to read a story from a different perspective. This is considered a young adult novel, however, I think it would be enjoyed by adults as well.

I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys fantasy and Terry Pratchett.