Sadie and Ratz -- a chapter book, filled with wry humor, about what growing up really means to a child

Sadie and Ratz by Sonya Hartnett (2013, Candlewick; 64 pages)

This chapter book for younger readers, winner of the 2008 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, written by Sonya Hartnett and illustrated by Ann James, starts like this: 

"I am Hannah. These are my hands. Their names are Sadie and Ratz. We live in a house with my mom and dad and my stick insect, Pin. I want a dog, but Mom says I’m too young."

Hannah’s hands aren’t animals, but according to her dad, they behave like wild beasts. For one thing, they’re always after four-year-old Baby Boy (whom Sadie wishes were a dog). They jump onto his head and try to rub his ears off. Baby Boy knows how to turn the tables, though, and when he spills milk on the carpet, he tells Grandma that Sadie and Ratz pushed him. But when Baby Boy goes too far, Hannah may have to send Sadie and Ratz on vacation to prove their innocence. Sonya Hartnett uses a ton of sensibility, wry humor and great characters to spin a tale about mischief, siblings, and taking matters into your own hands that will engage younger readers and astonish adult ones. Ann James' illustrations are fabulous and a great complement to the story.

To read a great review that compares this book to Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are, click here

Find this title in our catalog: Sadie and Ratz

Recommended by: Maite

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