A modern fantasy satirizes those who profit from the creative work of others. A humorous story about two communities of New York City rats, one more upscale than the other, appears in an elegantly illustrated, designed and printed book about Montague Mad-Rat, the Younger, painter of seashells collected for him by world travelling Aunt Elizabeth. (Ages 7-12)

Montague Mad-Rat lives a solitary existence in the sewers of New York City. His only delights are scavenging in Central Park for feathers and berries for his mother, and painting the seashells his aunt brings him. One day, he rescues the beautiful Isabel Moberly-Rat and, upon escorting her home, is introduced to a world he never knew existed. For she lives at the wharves, in a spacious crate, among rats who look down on those--like him--who make things with their paws. Suddenly Montague is ashamed. So when he hears about the campaign to save the wharves from human destruction, he does all he can to help. But how much can one rat really do, especially when he's an outcast?Montague Mad-Rat lives a solitary existence in the sewers of New York City. His only delights are scavenging through Central Park for feathers and berries for his mother, and painting the seashells his aunt brings him. One day, he rescues the beautiful Isabel Moberly-Rat, and upon escorting her home is introduced to a world he never knew existed. For she lives at the wharves, in a spacious crate, among rats who look down on thoselike himwho make things with their paws. Suddenly Montague is ashamed. So when he hears about the campaign to save the wharf from human destruction, he does all he can to help. But how much can one rat really do, especially when hes an outcast?A Rats Tale may well do for rats what Charlottes Web has done for spiders. NewsdayBeautifully told, Seidlers fantasy never falters. A grand adventure. A superb book. Boxed Review/Publishers Weekly A feast for fantasy lovers. The kind of entrancing reality found in The Cricket in Times Square or even Stuart Little.Pointer Review/Kirkus Reviews Like Charlottes Web or The Wind in the Willows, Tor Seidlers delightful new book, A Rats Tale, is suffused with humor, pathos, and moral beauty.The Washington Post Book World