I Was a Rat! or The Scarlet Slippers; The Scarecrow and His Servant: Two Tales

A must-have for every child's library: two enchanting tales by the bestselling author of The Golden Compass, in a special hardcover omnibus edition with newly colorized 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 small 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 humor, fairy tale, and adventure.

When 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.

Everyman's Library pursues the highest production standards, printing on acid-free cream-colored paper, with full-cloth cases with two-color foil stamping, decorative endpapers, silk ribbon markers, and European-style half-round spines.