Lenny Lemmon and the Invincible Rat

Lenny Lemon and the Invincible Rat is the hilarious story of Lenny and his history project gone wrong! When Lenny wants to beat the other year 5 class to the mystery prize for the best 'Olden Days School Day', he thinks bringing a rat into the classroom would be very historically accurate. Unfortunately, it does not turn out that way, causing chaos and pandemonium throughout the entire school day. It is up to Lenny, Sam (his best friend) and Jess (the new girl) to work together to try and fix, or break more things, to sort out the problems the rat causes. Can the three of them beat a rat or be outsmarted by one?!

I really enjoyed this book and instantly thought it would be a hit with a group of boys I teach. The book has a fast-paced story line, packed with action and jokes, which made it really enjoyable to read. I think this book would suit a lot of children new to reading chapter books or even some slightly reluctant readers. I also loved the illustrations by James Lancett and the double page spread images which really bought the character and the chaos of the story to life.

A very enjoyable read and I will definitely be looking out for more from this author.

160 pages / Reviewed by Lauren Maidman, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 7+

A child-friendly chapter book! This is a story all about Lenny Lemmon and his pet rat. Lenny turns up to school for a day learning all about 'the olden days' with a mysterious box which is making even more mysterious noises. He thinks it's the perfect opportunity to take his rat to school as there were lots of rats in the olden days. The story follows Lenny as he terrifies some of his classmates with the contents of his box and causes even more trouble as the rat escapes!

Lenny Lemmon and the Invincible Rat is a very accessible chapter book for early readers who are just starting to develop their reading stamina. It uses large text with lots of pictures and doodles to break up the pages; this will help to prevent early readers from feeling overwhelmed when they are just starting to read longer books. The child-like doodles are also quite attractive and lots of the text is capitalized to draw more attention and to emphasise the key parts. It's written in the first person too so the informal, chatty language will allow children to relate to the story more.

160 pages / Reviewed by Lucy Hopkins, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 5+

Lenny Lemmon and the Invincible Rat is a fast-paced, fun story for readers developing in confidence. The story centres around Lenny trying to do the right thing, and invariably bringing chaos to any given situation!

When the school announces it will be having a Victorian day, and children are invited to bring in a prop, Lenny decides that there is nothing more Victorian than a rat, and sneaks one into school, believing it is sure to help his class win the Victorian day competition.  When the rat escapes and pandemonium follows, Lenny and his friends must try to put things right.

This is a great story for children who love Pamela Butchart's Wigglesbottom Primary stories, or if you're looking for a follow-on from Horrid Henry young fiction stories. The illustrations are lively and fun, and the pace of the story never lets up, with lots of twists before a highly satisfying ending. I look forward to finding out what Lenny Lemmon gets up to next!

160 pages / Reviewed by Elen

Suggested Reading Age 7+