Meet the Rat: A dancing, football-playing gangster-baiting ten-year-old. When she foresaw her father's death, she picked up her football and decided to head for New York. Meet her older brother Bob: Protector of the Rat, but more often her follower, he is determined to find their uncle in America and discover a new life for them both. On their adventures across the flatlands of Winnipeg and through the exciting streets of New York, Bob and the Rat make friends with a hilarious con man and a famous rap star, and escape numerous dangers. But is their Uncle a rich business man, or is the word on the street, that he something more sinister, true? And will they ever find him? Hughes has created a funny, warm, unique world that lives and breathes. Like I Capture the Castle, Breakfast at Tiffany's, The Curious Incident, Hughes' story and characters will resonate for many and for years to come.
Unhooking the Moon
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Review
'A brave, zany and warm-hearted road story' The Guardian.
'It's funny, it's wise, it's beautifully written. It's not afraid of a bittersweet ending, and it came at me completely from left field.' Jill Murphy, The Bookbag.
'Memorable' Sunday Times (Summer Holiday Picks for 12+).
'Wonderful novel ... powerfully heart-warming narrative' Inis, Childrens Books Ireland.
'It's a totally unique, thoroughly enjoyable tale' The Sun.
'This great book tells a story of orphans Rat and Bob on a perilous road trip from Winnipeg to New York ... hilarious' The Liverpool Echo.
'It's funny, it's wise, it's beautifully written. It's not afraid of a bittersweet ending, and it came at me completely from left field.' Jill Murphy, The Bookbag.
'Memorable' Sunday Times (Summer Holiday Picks for 12+).
'Wonderful novel ... powerfully heart-warming narrative' Inis, Childrens Books Ireland.
'It's a totally unique, thoroughly enjoyable tale' The Sun.
'This great book tells a story of orphans Rat and Bob on a perilous road trip from Winnipeg to New York ... hilarious' The Liverpool Echo.
From the Back Cover
" 'Where are you going?' asked border patrol. 'We're going to New York to see our grandma and the Empire State Building and the Statue of Libery and everything. And our granny's going to bake us her very own apple pie.' She sounded so convincing. Some days I wondered who the Rat really was. 'What's your granny's name?' asked the officer. That's it! The Rat's Little Red Riding Hood performance had ruined us. 'Grandma, of course.' I was relieved when I heard laughter. 'Would you like to see our birth certificates?' said the Rat. She always had to overdo it! She wouldn't be satisfied until we were locked up!" Meet the Rat: A dancing, soccer-playing, gangster-wise prairie kid. When the Rat's father dies, she decides to head for New York. What can her older brother Bob do but follow? Join Bob and the infuriating, fantastic Rat on their funny, poignant and gripping road-trip adventure.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By Kiran Booker
Format:Paperback
It took me a while to get into this but when I did, I really took to it. I like the plot but really it's the characterisation and the brilliant dialogue that captivated me. The land of Winnipeg is described as 'so flat you can watch your dog run away for three days'. Marie-Claire, otherwise known as the Rat, is a precocious, bad-mouthed, endearing and vulnerable character so full of life that she jumps out from the pages.
There are some gritty and hard-edged elements to the book that left me feeling uncomfortable but that's part of the charm of this very original piece of writing. Heart-warming and tear-inducing this is an urban fairy tale that's well worth a read.
There are some gritty and hard-edged elements to the book that left me feeling uncomfortable but that's part of the charm of this very original piece of writing. Heart-warming and tear-inducing this is an urban fairy tale that's well worth a read.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By Bookworm
Format:Paperback
This is one of my favourite books and as a school librarian I have read thousands! It takes you on a roller coaster of emotions - one minute you are laughing at the antics of Rat and her brother, the next you are crying. It is action packed, brilliantly written and keeps you guessing to the very end. I would recommend this book to any child over the age of 11, as the publishers have recommended. For the reviewer that bought the book for her 11 year old son might I suggest you actually read the book before you criticise it.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Ember Girl
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is one of those books you finish and then immediately want to go back and start over again. The story is narrated by Bob, older brother - long suffering champion and devoted protector - to his irrepressible, more gregarious sister Marie 'the Rat' Claire. The quieter Bob's plain-spoken colloquial narrative style draws you quickly and effortlessly into the lives of these two young kids in Winnipeg, which early on in the book reach a crisis which sees them embarking on a headlong journey with their BMX bikes to New York to find their Uncle Jerome.
Their adventures - usually precipitated by the fearless Rat - will make you laugh out loud, but the very real dangers of the city and life in general are never far behind, and you find yourself repeatedly on the edge of your seat. The skill of the author is again and again in uniting fairytale elements with starker, darker reality in such a way that you are never quite allowed to relax into that feeling of security which says 'it will surely all work out in the end'. Will they really be ok sleeping rough? Those monsters the Rat spoke of may just be a story but who is that dark figure lurking in the shadows?
This is a book for adults and young people alike, and is one that you will want to re-read. The deceptively simple narrative style makes you think at first that the story is straight forward, when in fact it is a complex multi-layered tale; several of the Rat's 'visions' only made sense to me on the second reading, and your emotions will be taken on a rollercoaster ride. I'm left wanting more and wondering if there will be a sequel - I certainly hope so!
To those who loved this book I would recommend - Flavia De Luce is a similarly loveable, irrepressible young character who, like the Rat, sparkles off the page. Read more ›
Their adventures - usually precipitated by the fearless Rat - will make you laugh out loud, but the very real dangers of the city and life in general are never far behind, and you find yourself repeatedly on the edge of your seat. The skill of the author is again and again in uniting fairytale elements with starker, darker reality in such a way that you are never quite allowed to relax into that feeling of security which says 'it will surely all work out in the end'. Will they really be ok sleeping rough? Those monsters the Rat spoke of may just be a story but who is that dark figure lurking in the shadows?
This is a book for adults and young people alike, and is one that you will want to re-read. The deceptively simple narrative style makes you think at first that the story is straight forward, when in fact it is a complex multi-layered tale; several of the Rat's 'visions' only made sense to me on the second reading, and your emotions will be taken on a rollercoaster ride. I'm left wanting more and wondering if there will be a sequel - I certainly hope so!
To those who loved this book I would recommend - Flavia De Luce is a similarly loveable, irrepressible young character who, like the Rat, sparkles off the page. Read more ›
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This was a special little book... it's not quite as original as the weetzie bat series (which I'd recommend to anyone who enjoyed it) and there are a couple of moments that jar a little... but by and large this is a refreshingly honest take on adult issues through the eyes of children. It's funny, energetic and surprisingly moving. Recommended.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a special book, one of the most upbeat I have read in years. I mainly laughed but also cried. It is a wonderful tale of two children deciding to go to New York to find their uncle after their father dies. Although written for children it will also appeal to an older audience. It is most of all a funny, charming tale, with sharp, witty dialogue, especially when Rat gets to New York. The ten year old Rat is that rare character in any novel, funny, slightly whacky and carefree, which makes you worry for her but you can't help laughing. On the way, her older brother Bob, who is an attractive but more sober fourteen year old, tries to stop her getting into fixes and when she lands in them always manages to get her out. And in her own way Rat looks after Bob. A treat.
Format:Paperback
It took me ages to get into this story, it wasn't until Bob and his little sister, The Rat, were on their journey to New York that I started to care.
Unhooking the Moon is all about The Rat, Bob might be the narrator but everything that happens is because of Marie Claire (aka The Rat). She is one of the most complex, confusing and wise characters I have ever read and she is a real pain. Maybe if Gregory Hughes has made The Rat more plain this story would have been easier to enjoy but if he had then it wouldn't have turned into the amazing book it was at the end.
The fact that the ending made me love this book might seem odd but all the things that irritated me about Marie Claire make what happens to Bob and her that much more powerful.
The New York that Bob and sister experience is vibrant and surreal, the friends they make and the adventures they have captivate the reader and as I became more used to Marie Claire I could appreciate what a truly amazing book Gregory Hughes has written.
Unhooking the Moon is all about The Rat, Bob might be the narrator but everything that happens is because of Marie Claire (aka The Rat). She is one of the most complex, confusing and wise characters I have ever read and she is a real pain. Maybe if Gregory Hughes has made The Rat more plain this story would have been easier to enjoy but if he had then it wouldn't have turned into the amazing book it was at the end.
The fact that the ending made me love this book might seem odd but all the things that irritated me about Marie Claire make what happens to Bob and her that much more powerful.
The New York that Bob and sister experience is vibrant and surreal, the friends they make and the adventures they have captivate the reader and as I became more used to Marie Claire I could appreciate what a truly amazing book Gregory Hughes has written.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
For young adults and above
A good easy read about two Canadian kids whose parents have passed away and their adventures trying to find their "drug dealer" uncle in New York. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Merry Bear
1.0 out of 5 stars
Distressing
I initially enjoyed this book that I bought for my daughter. I devoured it - but found the ending so distressing that I threw it away. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Goatbreath
1.0 out of 5 stars
Surprised at the positive reviews
I love to read childrens literature and pass on the best ones to my nephews. I have advised my sister never to let her kids read this, as I think it is totally inappropriate for... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Mrs. A. Livingstone
5.0 out of 5 stars
amazing!
'Unhooking The Moon' is such a heart-warming book that brang a smile to my face but also made me feel sad. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Smileysofia
5.0 out of 5 stars
Must be read!
Unhooking The Moon is one of my favourite books of all time. A fabulous, exciting & sometimes dangerous adventure for the Rat & brother Bob which could go horribly wrong.. Read more
Published 22 months ago by karen poolman
4.0 out of 5 stars
Imaginative! Let yourself be surprised!
Meet Bob and his sister, the Rat. They are prairie kids from Winnipeg, a land "so flat you can watch your dog run away for three days". Read more
Published 22 months ago by Els De Clercq
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderfully Original
'Unhooking The Moon' won the Booktrust Teenage Prize last year and in my view, this was a very worthy winner. Read more
Published on 11 Mar 2011 by Lincs Reader
4.0 out of 5 stars
An absorbing read of superb imagination
This is Gregory Hughes first book and his writing is powerfully absorbing and vividly imaginative. This book is so much better than most children's literature. Read more
Published on 7 Feb 2011 by R. Brocklehurst
4.0 out of 5 stars
Unhooking the Moon - Worth a Look!
Unhooking the Moon - a great book!
This book, Unhooking the moon, is fantastic! It is really worth reading. Read more
This book, Unhooking the moon, is fantastic! It is really worth reading. Read more
Published on 27 Jan 2011
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great book
It took me a while to get into this book, but once I did i coudn't put it down! Highly recommened to the 11+ age group!
Published on 26 Jan 2011 by abasuita
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