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The Pied Piper (Ayesha L Rubio, The Five Mile Press)

The timeless story of The Pied Piper of Hamelin is given a whole new look in this lively new treatment. The story has been adapted for modern readers and flows easily from page to page, with variety in the font size to emphasise the action of the story and dramatic points as it unfolds. Anyone who has read the traditional story will remember that it’s about a small town that is overrun by a plague of rats. The people try many different ways to rid themselves of these pests, without success. Then a visiting musician comes up with a solution. In the original story he pipes the rats out of town, but this more modern version has an imaginative twist at the end. The illustrations accompanying the story by Ayesha L Rubio are exuberant and expressive. Romping energetically through the book in mostly double-page spreads, Rubio’s work is packed with action and colour, and her use of palette and scenery reflect the architecture of the small German town. It is recommended for children aged six and up.

Margaret Hamilton is a former children’s book publisher. She is now proprietor of Pinerolo, the Children’s Book Cottage in Blackheath, NSW

 

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