Review: Ratscalibur by Josh Lieb

Ratscalibur 

by Josh Lieb

back cover summary: 

When Joey is bitten by an elderly rat, he goes from aspiring seventh-grader to three-inch tall rodent.

At first, Joey is amazed by his new rat self. The city streets call to him at night. Smells that would have repelled him before are suddenly tantalizing. (A chicken bone? Yes! A squashed cockroach? Like perfume!) And wow, the freedom! But when a bout of hunger leads Joey to pull the spork from the scone, he finds himself at the center of a longtime rat prophecy.

Joey has unwittingly unlocked the sword Ratscalibur; and now, it is up to him to protect his new rat friends from the evil crows who seek to destroy their peaceful kingdom. But what does an eleven-year-old know about actual swordplay? And what happens when Joey no longer wants to be a rat?

my thoughts: 

I love fantasy literature, and I absolutely adore rats, so I pretty much squealed in delight when I found this book. The story is engaging right from the first page. While there is some fighting (there are knights with swords after all), this is a great fantasy adventure for younger readers. With its mix of Arthurian legends and Middle Earth lore set in the heart of the city, Ratscalibur has great appeal. 

I love this book, and I really hope we get to see more of the world that Lieb has created in Ratscalibur. I have not heard one way or another if this is going to remain a stand-alone or if this will become a series, but it ends in a way that could allow it to go either way. 

I highly recommend Ratscalibur to anyone who enjoys adventure, fantasy, or animal books. Be sure to check it out today!

how I acquired this book:

I purchased this book for personal use, and chose to review it.