FIRMIN Sam Savage

Firmin is a rat, charming, intelligent, imaginative and literary too. Born in a bookshop – the runt of the litter – he survives by chewing books. Miraculously he learns to read and later develops an insatiable hunger for literature. He dares to be different, preferring humans to rats; his attempts to make friends with the bookshop owner nearly end in tragedy but happily he has more success with a local writer. Firmin is saddened by plans to replace the bookshop, bars and stores with grey concrete and government buildings. Alas, sometimes there is a downside to change. This illustrated book is highly original and very entertaining.