Robber Rat: The Highway Rat by Julia Donalson

THE HIGHWAY RAT WAS A BADDIE,
THE HIGHWAY RAT WAS A BEAST.

HE TOOK WHAT HE WANTED AND ATE WHAT HE TOOK.
HIS LIFE WAS ONE LONG FEAST.

With his swash well buckled, this highwayman rides the road in search, not of gold, but of goodies. No pastries or sweetmeats are safe in his territory.

All travelers live in fear of this gallante, riding, riding, riding along the highway, and the good country folk cringe at the sound of hoofbeats.

THE CREATURES WHO TRAVELED THE HIGHWAY
GREW THINNER AND THINNER AND THINNER.

WHILE THE HIGHWAY RAT GREW HORRIBLY FAT
FROM EATING UP EVERYONE'S DINNER.

Rabbit is down to his last wilted clover, the ants are left with leaves for lunch, and the good folk of the land obviously have need  of a hero when Duck comes waddling down the pike. Rat has run out of victims, and informs the fowl that he's next on the menu.

"I HAVE A SISTER WITH GOODIES YOU MIGHT PREFER," says Duck, thinking quickly.

This Duddley-Do-Right Duck is ready to right some wrongs, and his plan (cleverly riffing on that story of the three billy goats) just might work.

He sells the Robber Rat on his story of his sister's distant cavern just stuffed with a stash of sweets. With the Rat's mustachio whiskers all a-twirl at the thought, Duck guides him to the dark cave, and offers to hold his horse while the Highway Rat, faint with greedy goodie lust, ventures inside and falls prey to the old "echo in the cave" trick.

..."TAKE THEM... TAKE THEM... TAKE THEM..."

Our  Do-Good Duck dashes off on  the brigand's steed, and the Robber Rat gets his just desserts inside the dank empty cave, in Julia Donalson's latest rhyming frolic, The Highway Rat (Scholastic, 2013). Comic quatrains and sprightly humorous illustrations by artist Axel Scheffler set off this jolly tale of justice done. "This well-paced, rollicking tale is a guaranteed storytime treat," says School Library Journal.

Donalson's and Scheffler's other best-selling tasty treats include The Gruffalo, Stick Man, and Charlie Cook's Favorite Book.