The Legend of the Rat King is a touching and timely short story told in seven chapters of prose poetry, short fiction and songs about what happens to a prisoner on Death Row in Texas after he is executed. He meets the Angels of Death, the Devil, and others when he s given a second chance to live. It s a story of hope, compassion and human solidarity."

A brave mouse, a covetous rat, a wishful serving girl, and a princess named Pea come together in Kate DiCamillo's Newbery Medal–winning tale. Welcome to the story of Despereaux Tilling, a mouse who is in love with music, stories, and a princess named Pea. It is also the story of a rat called Roscuro, who lives in the darkness and covets a world filled with light. And it is the story of Miggery Sow, a slow-witted serving girl who harbors a simple, impossible wish. These three characters are about to embark on a journey that will lead them down into a horrible dungeon, up into a glittering castle, and, ultimately, into each other's lives. What happens then? As Kate DiCamillo would say: Reader, it is your destiny to find out. With black-and-white illustrations and a refreshed cover by Timothy Basil Ering.

This whimsical story takes place at the once beautiful land called the rat kingdom. One day, an evil, wicked, power hungry rat took over the kingdom. The horrible ruler only cared about himself and not the hard working struggling rat people. The Rat King did nothing to stop a deadly plague that fell upon their kingdom. He only wanted more money and more power at any cost. The hard working rats were becoming very ill and even dying. They were losing their jobs, couldn't pay their rent, and were going hungry, all because the Rat King lied to them. He kept saying the plague was fake and would magically go away. He was wrong but he would not admit it. Fortunately, help was close at hand. A very bright, brave and caring elder rat stepped forward to save the kingdom. The elder rat challenged the evil Rat King for the top spot, and won. The evil Rat King was banished to a far, far away land where he can not harm the rat people or the kingdom ever again.

Award-winning author China Miéville began his astounding career with King Rat—now in a new Tor Essentials edition—a mix of a young man's search for identity with a pulse-pounding story of revenge and madness. With a new introduction by Tim Maughan, author of Infinite Detail. Something is stirring in London's dark, stamping out its territory in brickdust and blood. Something has murdered Saul Garamond's father, and left Saul to pay for the crime. But a shadow from the urban waste breaks into Saul's prison cell and leads him to freedom: a shadow called King Rat. King Rat reveals to Saul his own royal heritage, a heritage that opens a new world for him, the world below London's streets. With drum-and-bass pounding the backstreets, Saul must confront the forces that would use him, the ones that would destroy him, and those that have shaped his own bizarre identity. Tor Essentials presents new editions of science fiction and fantasy titles of proven merit and lasting value, each volume introduced by an appropriate literary figure. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

“An astonishing novel. Were Terry Pratchett not demonstratively a master craftsman already, The Amazing Maurice might be considered his masterpiece.” —Neil Gaiman The Amazing Maurice runs the perfect Pied Piper scam. This streetwise alley cat knows the value of cold, hard cash and can talk his way into and out of anything. But when Maurice and his cohorts decide to con the town of Bad Blinitz, it will take more than fast talking to survive the danger that awaits. For this is a town where food is scarce and rats are hated, where cellars are lined with deadly traps, and where a terrifying evil lurks beneath the hunger-stricken streets.... Set in bestselling author Sir Terry Pratchett's beloved Discworld, this masterfully crafted, gripping read is both compelling and funny. When one of the world's most acclaimed fantasy writers turns a classic fairy tale on its head, no one will ever look at the Pied Piper—or rats—the same way again! This book’s feline hero was first mentioned in the Discworld novel Reaper Man and stars in the movie version of his adventure, The Amazing Maurice, featuring David Tenant, Emma Clarke, Hamish Patel, and Hugh Laurie. Fans of Maurice will relish the adventures of Tiffany Aching, starting with The Wee Free Men and A Hat Full of Sky! Carnegie Medal Winner * ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults * New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age * VOYA Best Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror * Book Sense Pick

Some extraordinary rats come to the aid of a mouse family in this Newbery Medal Award–winning classic by notable children’s author Robert C. O’Brien. Mrs. Frisby, a widowed mouse with four small children, is faced with a terrible problem. She must move her family to their summer quarters immediately, or face almost certain death. But her youngest son, Timothy, lies ill with pneumonia and must not be moved. Fortunately, she encounters the rats of NIMH, an extraordinary breed of highly intelligent creatures, who come up with a brilliant solution to her dilemma. And Mrs. Frisby in turn renders them a great service.

What could be more terrifying than a city crawling with rats? In “The Ratcatcher,” a story eerily similar to the legend of the Piped Piper, readers are taken to an old German town where that’s exactly the problem. However, by the end of the tale, it’s not just the rats that have disappeared—it’s all the town’s children! This and other terrible tales are accompanied by full-color images and illustrations that add some beauty to otherwise dark literary worlds. The fire of readers’ imaginations will be lit as they encounter unforgettable storytelling in "Gold-tree and Silver-tree," "The Devil and his Grandmother," and "The King Who Would See Paradise."