I Was a Rat! Or, The Scarlet Slippers and The Scarecrow and his Servant

A must-have for every child's library: two enchanting tales by the best-selling author of Northern Lights, in a special hardcover omnibus edition with newly colourised illustrations.

‘I was a rat!’ So insists a scruffy boy named Roger. Maybe it’s true, but what is he now? A terrifying monster running wild in the sewers? The Daily Scourge is sure of it. A victim of ‘Rodent Delusion’? The hospital nurse says yes. A lucrative fairground attraction? He is to Mr. Tapscrew. Or is Roger just an ordinary little boy? Only three people believe this version of the story, and it may take a royal intervention–and a bit of magic–to convince everyone
else. A playful parody of the press, I Was a Rat! is a magical weaving of humour, fairy tale, and adventure.

When, in A Scarecrow and His Servant, a bolt of lightning brings Scarecrow to life, he proves to be a courteous but pea-brained fellow with grand ideas. He meets a boy, Jack, who becomes his faithful servant and the two embark upon a terrifying series of adventures–including battles, brigands, broken hearts, and treasure islands. But little does the Scarecrow know that he is being followed by a family who desperately wishes he’d never sprung to life.

Two stories of myth, magic and adventure from the master teller of tales.