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Product Description
'Give me your buns and your biscuits! Give me your chocolate éclairs! For I am the Rat of the highway, and the Rat Thief never shares!' Life is not safe for the other animals, as the villainous Highway Rat gallops along the highway, stealing their food. Clover from a rabbit; nuts from a squirrel - he even steals his own hose's hay. Will he finally meet his comeuppance, in the form of a cunning duck? A fabulous, rollicking rhyme, in the style of the famous Alfred Noyes poem, 'The Highwayman', from the authors of 'The Gruffalo' and 'Zog'.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
44 of 45 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book was inspired by the poem, "The Highwayman" by Alfred Noyes. The Highway Rat was a 'baddie' and a 'beast' - he robbed all the animals of their food, even his own horse of his hay. Eventually, all the animals are thin and hungry and the Highway Rat was 'horribly fat'. Then, when he tries to rob a duck she has nothing to steal, so he decides to eat her. The quick thinking duck tricks him, and takes his loot to share with her friends.
The text of the book obviously takes time to become familiar, but it is a nice story, with a good message and the illustrations are excellent. Like all Donadson's books, the text reads like a song or poem and asks to be read aloud. My children particularly liked the Gruffalo biscuits in the cake shop at the end, but there is more to this author/illustrator team than the Gruffalo, as beloved as those books are. I have a feeling that this will also become a favourite bedtime story given enough readings.
The text of the book obviously takes time to become familiar, but it is a nice story, with a good message and the illustrations are excellent. Like all Donadson's books, the text reads like a song or poem and asks to be read aloud. My children particularly liked the Gruffalo biscuits in the cake shop at the end, but there is more to this author/illustrator team than the Gruffalo, as beloved as those books are. I have a feeling that this will also become a favourite bedtime story given enough readings.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is my new favourite to read aloud to my children. The language and illustrations are of the wonderfully high standard that fans of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler have come to expect. In addition to a thought-provoking plot device, 'The Highway Rat' features a loveable villain, a clever heroine and a happy ending; everything that you'd hope for in a children's book.
But for me the particular joy here lies in the rhythm and repetition, inspired by The Highwayman poem, which make for wonderfully theatrical readings. As in other Donaldson favourites, the various animal characters are fabulous for those who like to have fun with different voices too. My two-year-old son chants 'Highway Rat' repeatedly at bedtime until we read this and I am so very happy to oblige. For me, it's perfect.
But for me the particular joy here lies in the rhythm and repetition, inspired by The Highwayman poem, which make for wonderfully theatrical readings. As in other Donaldson favourites, the various animal characters are fabulous for those who like to have fun with different voices too. My two-year-old son chants 'Highway Rat' repeatedly at bedtime until we read this and I am so very happy to oblige. For me, it's perfect.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Based loosely on the structure of the poem 'The Highwayman' as another reviewer previously noted, this book is superb and is already on my little boy's nightly story list - he's 3 and a half. (It helps if you familiarise yourself with the poem's rhyme and rhythm in order to get the best out of reading 'The Highway Rat' aloud so only 4**** not 5 for this reason.) I personally love it and I think Donaldson has come up with another firm favourite.
The Highwayman This is studied by Y5 children (ages 9-10) as part of the Literacy Framework.
The Highwayman This is studied by Y5 children (ages 9-10) as part of the Literacy Framework.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Julia Donaldson's Highway Rat
Best price for this sought after latest title from a range of fantastic Julia Donaldson books. My grand-daughter adores them and I love reading them to her :)
Published 6 days ago by Mrs. M. Ross
Highway Rat Review
Ella S: I think that the Highway Rat is great.It is appealing because its so funny
and exciting. His life is like a long feast. Read more
and exciting. His life is like a long feast. Read more
Published 12 days ago by Thomas R
Not the best
This is definitely not Julia Donaldsons best childrens book. When reading it I tend to leave out the repetitive lines which to my mind improves the book. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Thakabana
Couldn't wait to read it
My 5 year old daughter and I couldn't wait to read the next Julia Donaldson book and it didn't disappoint. Fantastic as expected.
Published 2 months ago by DippyDi
Book
The Highway Rat is another well loved book by Julia Donaldson. A favourite at bedtime with it's colourful illustrations, and great rhyming story lines.
Published 2 months ago by M. Naylor
The Highway Rat
Our grandson loves this book and insists that we read the story to him every time we visit him - no praise greater than that, is there ? !!
Published 2 months ago by Mr. Clive Cornock
Not up to the usual standard
There are two problems with this book - rhythm and plot. The first just doesn't work for reading aloud: it may be based on a famous poem, but if the famous poem doesn't flow well... Read more
Published 3 months ago by J. Miller
The Highway Rat
This book is not upto the normal standards. We have all the other books and found this one was disappointing.
Published 3 months ago by Father of four year old
Another good book but for older children...
Another fabulous book by Julia and Axel - however this one is a bit long and more wordy than some of their other books - So not as suitable for a quick bedtime read.
Published 3 months ago by Roberts Family
A definite hit with my son (1yr)
My 1 year old son loves this book (he enjoys all the Julia Donaldson ones but this is one of his absolute favourites). Read more
Published 3 months ago by linc1068
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