Since I became a rat owner, and let’s face it obsessed with them in general, I get very excited anytime they appear somewhere. If a rat or its likeness pops up on a TV show, in a movie, a book, on social media, in a magazine, or even on products, it has my attention! Then I instantly become suspicious and scrutinize how they are being depicted until I feel satisfied they aren’t being maligned.
A giant misinformation campaign taking place about rats has been ongoing since they first became domesticized. The misconception continues through media, cinema, and literature every time rats are used for horror or portrayed as menacing evildoers, actively plotting to cause harm. But I promise you, neither wild nor domestic rats are down in some underground den having meetings with PowerPoint presentations on how best to destroy humanity.
When your pet regularly elicits the words “Ew” and “Gross” at the very mention of them, you get desperate for some rat positivity. I’ve spent years hunting for items and stories that represent them fairly. When it comes to literature, it’s not easy to find rat characters who aren’t villains, but I’m happy to report they do exist! Here are my picks for rat positive characters and books that also bridge humans and rats (wild and domestic) together, either through the plot and/or because of the author’s personal love for them.
Children’s Books
“The Short and Incredibly Happy Life of Riley” is written by Colin Thompson and fantastically illustrated by Amy Lissiat. What makes this book special is that a wild rat is used as a humbling example about making better life choices. Riley’s ability to find happiness in the simplicity of everyday moments contrasts mankind’s greed and envy. Think of it as a self-help book with colorful images and Riley’s approach to living as your goal. I sincerely recommend every adult run out and buy this creatively poignant, award winning, children’s book. Or you can listen to it being read.
“Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat,” by Lynne Jonell and illustrated by Jonathan Bean, is the first of three novels in the Emmy and the Rat series for pre-teens. After discovering she can hear and communicate with the classroom’s pet rat, Emmy’s life takes a fantastical turn. The two embark on a magical adventure, travel to Rodent City, and confront Emmy’s evil nanny. The Rat can be a bit disgruntled, but deep down is quite sensitive. What drew my attention, besides rats and other rodent characters, was Emmy’s ability to communicate with the Rat. I would love that ability! An added bonus are illustrations of the Rat falling from a tree into Emmy’s hand on the edge of each page that form a flip book.
“The Tale of Samuel Whiskers,” written and illustrated by Beatrix Potter, is a story about Samuel Whiskers and his wife Anna Maria, who plan on turning a naughty kitty into a pudding. No worries, though, they ultimately don’t. While this story doesn’t immediately show rats at their best, it should be noted that the cat characters are rat catchers. So, let’s not judge Samuel Whiskers. The reason this book makes my list is because the story is a classic and Ms. Potter dedicated it to her real-life pet rat, Sammy. And considering it was the early 1900s, this made her an outlier. Plus, the cover art looks exactly like my second rat Dover Cliffs would have — had he been illustrated … and worn a suit.
“The Rambles of a Rat,” by Charlotte Maria Tucker, is a children’s book that was first published in the 1800s. Tucker spent time with rats and wrote her characters based on personal experiences and observations she made of them. She describes her rat characters as “heroes” that show “kindness.”
Photos And Poems
“Fancy Rats: Portraits and Stories,” written and photographed by Diane Özdamar, is not your typical rat care book. Besides tips on care, you will also find stories about fostering and rat rescue, tips on photographing rats, and it doubles as a photo book. The beautiful photography alone makes this book worth it by showing rats as the adorable pets they are. But it’s Özdamar’s desire to help dispel negative rat myths, while also promoting adoption, that earns this book a spot on my list.
“Squeaky Poems: Rhymes About My Rat,” by Jack Handey, stars the humorous and real-life adventures of Squeaky the rescued white-throated woodrat, aka a pack rat. Told through poetry, satirical writer Handey (well known for writing and narrating “Deep Thoughts” on the TV show “Saturday Night Live”) shares the experience he and his wife had caring for a wild pack rat after her family was taken by jays. Even when considered by most as a pest, Squeaky’s story shows how rats of all kinds are capable of worming their way into your heart when given the chance.
Fun Fact: I was lucky enough to be sent a hand-signed copy of this book by Jack Handey himself, back when I was doing book reviews in my magazine, “It’s a Rat’s World.” Ironically, only two years later, I found myself with my own pack rat rescue, named Miss Brisby, who I still have at the time of writing this.
A Little Brag
This last book is included as a self-brag, but since this is my article, I get to do that.
“The Exultant Ark: A Pictorial Tour of Animal Pleasure,” by Jonathan Balcombe, is the pictorial follow up to the “Pleasurable Kingdom: Animals and the Nature of Feeling Good.” Dr. Balcombe is a biologist with a PhD in ethology, the study of animal behavior, and has written four science books on the inner lives of animals (these two included) and has published numerous scientific papers and book chapters about animals. He has dedicated his life to proving that animals are capable of experiencing many of the same emotions humans do. This book captures the many moments that animals not only experience pleasure, but also seek it out.
I had the joy of meeting Dr. Balcombe once, years ago. Upon learning about my work as a “rat educator,” he asked me to send in some photos of my rats to be considered for the book he was working on. While “The Exultant Ark” is not exclusively about rats, what is shared about them is a very positive representation. So, I was truly honored when my photos were chosen as examples of rats. One is on page 159 and is of my past rats Delphiniums Blue, Sorren, and Cecil. The other photo is on page 77 and on the back cover! It is one of my favorite photos of Delphiniums and was the inspiration for my tattoo of him. I’m also mentioned as his owner in the inside text box, and it describes how we spent our time cuddling. Out of all the pictures and different types of animals shown, I was absolutely delighted to learn that my precious heart rat “Finiums,” got such a prominent feature! He’s been gone for a long time now but, thanks to this book, his image lives on. Finiums even made the New York Times’ website when the book originally debuted.
A Someday Book
One of my greatest wishes is to someday be added to this list of rat-positive authors. I’ve been slowly working on my own book of some very special characters that I’ve created and have been drawing for years. My story is about Ratcula, a quiet rat vampire who discovers that his favorite childhood stuffie, Batty McFuzzy Face, has mysteriously come to life. Batty’s unrelenting curiosity and mischievousness is about to change everything for Ratcula and the rest of the adorably “spooky” creatures living in Finiums Forest.
Their lives and adventures have been unfolding in my head and in my art for a long time now, and someday I hope to see them finally written out in a published book for others to enjoy. Check out @finiums on Instagram for my drawings of Ratcula, Batty, and my many other Halloween characters, and read some of their short stories.
The List Goes On…
For more fantastic rat characters and stories check out:
“Walter: The Story of a Rat” by Barbra Wersba
“The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents” by Terry Prachett
“A Rat’s Tale” by Tor Seidler
“Rats!” By Mary Conway Kolka
“The Rat Prince: A New Twist on Cinderella” by Bridget Hodder
“Frisby and the Rats of NIMH” by Robert C. O’Brien
“Emmy and the Home for Troubled Girls” by Lynne Jonell
“Emmy and the Rats in the Belfry” by Lynne Jonell
