Tuesday 16 December 2014


UK Writer & Illustrator
Russell Brand, illustrated by Chris Riddell (born Cape Town – lives in the UK)
Russell Brand’s Trickster Tales –The Pied Piper of Hamelin
Cannongate 2014 $24.99hb 128pp
ISBN 978 1 7821 1456 7

Themes: Greed/ Rats
Don’t expect the classic story in verse of the Pied Piper, who, after he had been tricked out of his money by the town councillors, lured all the village children to their fate through a doorway under the hill. All the elements are here but the villagers and their children are now utterly, completely, totally over the top – disgusting! And as for the rats. I predict children will love this and if anyone is offended by Chris Riddell’s technicolour interpretation of Russell Brand’s words they can always go back to the Robert Browning’s original – possibly the one illustrated by Kate Greenaway. They both have a great deal going for them.   It is a ‘lovely’ piece of quality book production with sturdy smooth covers, good paper and eye-pleasing colour illustrations.  
Year 4 up/ Age 8 up

An early version of the tale with illustrations by Kate Greenaway


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