Rat Fair

by Leah Rose Kessler, Cleonique Hilsaca (Illustrator)

Overview

A nearly-wordless picture book about a group of rats who mix up a sign for an Art Fair, and instead create a jolly Rat Fair. A compassionate young boy steps up to save them from the humans who would sweep their festivities away.

When a group of industrious, fun-loving rats find letters fallen from an Art Fair sign, they put the sign back together—with one small adjustment—and get to work creating a spectacular RAT FAIR. Their fair is ruined when humans sweep away everything the rats have created. Undaunted, the rats switch gears and start working on their very own Rat Art Fair. As they are wrapping up their first day of the Rat Art Fair, a human child who has been following their progress from the sidelines catches them red handed, and the rats must decide if they can trust the child. A nearly wordless tale about how misunderstandings can lead to wonderful creativity.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781576879849
Publisher:	POW! Kids Books
Publication date:	06/29/2021
Pages:	36
Product dimensions:	8.10(w) x 8.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Leah Rose Kessler spent much of her childhood up a tree with a stack of books. These days, when she’s not reading or writing, she’s an on-again, off-again elementary school teacher and a lifelong biologist. She lives in Michigan with two humans and two cats, and has a soft spot for scurrying creatures of all shapes and sizes.

Editorial Reviews

2021-05-05
Cuddly rats get creative around rearranged letters on a sign.

When a letterboard advertising an art fair falls into disarray, a group of rats organizes a rat-sized fête, complete with pennants, popcorn, and carnival rides. Hilsaca’s sweet, pastel-hued cartoon illustrations drive the story, which is almost entirely devoid of text. They depict rats who are clever, smartly dressed, and fluffy, with anthropomorphic smiles and large ears evocative of the manga character Hamtaro. Under softly glowing string lights they paint, juggle, and twirl in teacups until a custodian brushes away their stalls and replaces the letters—but never fear, a child attending the humans’ art fair above saves the Ferris wheel and stalls. The child returns the next day to help with the new-and-improved rat art fair, as under cover of night the rats have painted, knitted, and sculpted away to continue the festivities. The tale comes to an end with one talented rat gifting a portrait to the child, who has brown skin and dark hair. Other humans pictured are diverse in skin tone and hair textures and styles. The child’s father (also brown-skinned) uses a wheelchair, and when the family is pictured eating tamales at home, a chair lift features unobtrusively in the background. The child’s mother presents White.

An inviting and inclusive story for all—even rats. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews