How to Save Your Tail*: *if you are a rat nabbed by cats who really like stories about magic spoons, wol ves with snout-warts, big, hairy chimney trolls . . . and cookies, too.

By Mary Hanson

How does a cookie-baking Rat named Bob save his tail from being gobbled by two hungry cats? By serving them cookies and telling them fantastic fairy tales about his family, of course. There's the story about great-grand uncle Mustard who upgrades his family to a lovely three-bedroom brick house. (All's well until some wolves with snout-warts show up.) And there's the one about how starving Grandma Lois was forced to take a job spinning straw into gold. (Impossible to do . . . until a hairy chimney troll comes along.)

 

With allusions to classic fairy tales, plus a storytelling rat to rival Scheherazade, this book—which also includes black-and-white illustrations, a family tree, and a map of Bob's neighborhood—is sure to hold both cats and kids captive.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Jan 25, 2012
• ISBN: 9780307556905

Reviews for How to Save Your Tail*

[sheilacornelisse · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A cute predictable tale about a cookie-baking, storytelling rat named Bob who is trying to avoid being eaten by the castle cats. A collection of fractured fairytales featuring Bob's ancestors as the main characters. Ideal for young readers.

[sunnysd_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Bob the rat loves to read. Unfortunately for him, one morning while baking cookies he's distracted by the lure of a new book, and ends up captured and about to be eaten by the castle cats. Luckily, he knows his audience and is able to distract them long enough to escape - in fine fairy tale fashion.It's cute, but it's slight. A fun fast read for older readers, and possibly a good read-aloud for the younger set, who might enjoy trying to identify the various characters and stories that Bob references.

[parkplace05 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Humorous accounts of classic fairy tales from the point of view of a storytelling, cookie-baking mouse cornered by two hungry cats. Funny and entertaining, maybe not enjoyed by all, but most will be amused. Will appeal to fans of fractured fairy tales.