Ratbags: Take flight by Tim Harris and Shiloh Gordon

The fourth book in the Ratbags series continues to entertain young readers with humour, excitement and an action-packed adventure. The Ratbags are on their way to Scum Island for a holiday and before they arrive there they must take a long boat trip. Along the way they encounter seagulls, whales, seasickness and fight off sharks as well as listening to the constant “Are we there yet?”

The checking-in scenario is full of exhausting action and rat-filled enjoyment but finally the Ratbags settle in for the evening. They begin exploring the next day and fortunately the astute and alert Jigsaw is onto the problem of the Falcons, especially Fifi who also fancies Cracker the cat who has followed the Ratbags to the island.  A battle for survival ensues, and who will succeed: rats, cats, or falcons?

Throughout the story, humour abounds and with the clever graphic illustrations, the reader is drawn into the mood of the story as well as through some clever tourist icons: the Grand Can-yon (made of cans), the Great Wall of China (teacups), the Empire Plate Building (plates), Bonehenge (bones) and Mount Ever-messed (a mountain of rubbish). In the final pages there is an introduction to the author and illustrator plus a step-by-step guide to drawing the calm and sensible Jigsaw.

Themes: Rats, Holidays, Jokes, Falcons, Graphic Novel.

Kathryn Beilby