Publishers Weekly
Five rat siblings with jazz in their veins Ella, Monk, Woody, Benny and Fletcher follow their stage dreams via this solidly entertaining adaptation of Winthrop's funny and adventure-filled tale. When their parents, jazz legends in their own right, die after an extermination raid on a club called the Blue Goat, the five young rodents feel an urgency to make a new musical life. Enter Uncle Switchtail, a family friend and record producer who coaxes out their talent and sends them on their way to Rat Hollow, a city beneath New York City where any rat worth his cheese goes to make it big. However, the Rattoons get less than a warm welcome from their kind and take their jazz and tap act above ground to try performing for humans in New York. Of course, both good times and plenty of danger await them. As street-smart and sweet Uncle Switchtail, actor Bill Molesky steals the show early on with a gravelly rasp sometimes punctuated with a slight squawk. The young cast of Rattoons proves a fine-tuned troupe, conveying childlike na vet and lots of comic moments. Original jazz music brings it all together, helping set the scene for an encore-worthy outing. Ages 10-up. (Feb.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
School Library Journal
Gr 4-6-What might have been a maudlin tale of five orphaned rats becomes a rollicking adventure involving the power of dance, jazz, and the will to survive in this audiobook by Elizabeth Winthrop (Holt, 2003). Responsible big brother Benny, practical Fletcher, creative Ella, art-obsessed Woody, and fearless Monk must leave their familiar barnyard home when a number of rats, including their jazz musician parents, are exterminated by humans. Uncle Switchtail, a hoofer of great renown, recognizes that the Rattoons have inherited their family's feeling for music, rhythm, and dance. After lengthy training, the five rats set off for Rat Hollow, the big city below the humans' New York City. Here they find strict rules barring rat/human interaction, an established social structure, and some faded jazz greats affected by too much drinking of mash. After one nearly fatal excursion to dance on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Rattoons eventually end up meeting the legendary human Oliver Bailey, a pro-rat employee at Radio City Music Hall. Several hair-raising schemes later, the music and rhythm take over the Rattoons and they are compelled to dance onto the stage of the theater where the human dancers are performing. Surprisingly, they're a smash hit and become famous dancers in the human city, possibly ushering in a time when human/rat relations will improve. Full Cast Audio gives this novel its usual superb attention to detail, with jazzy background music and clever touches such as having Juan the alpaca voiced by a Latino actor. The author capably narrates her enjoyable and spirited story in which the voice actors are uniformly excellent. Listeners will reluctantly leave Rat City, probably reevaluating their attitudes toward that much-maligned animal.-B. Allison Gray, John Jermain Memorial Library, Sag Harbor, NY Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
From the Publisher
The rats of NIMH have nothing on Benny, Fletcher, Ella, Woody, and Monk.” —School Library Journal
AUG/SEP 04 - AudioFile
Elizabeth Winthrop narrates her delightful story of orphaned rats who decide to become a dancing troupe. Since their parents were jazz musicians, this is a perfect choice. Like any new act, the Rattoons have their share of ups and downs until they finally hit the big time. Winthrop is assisted by Full Cast Audio's outstanding narrators. Each brings a quirky addition to this success story. Winthrop also includes some excellent life lessons, such as the prejudice that the rats face as they fend for themselves. Although a bit long for young listeners, the story is a clever and funny glimpse at show business life. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine
