Russell Brand’s Trickster Tales: The Pied Piper of Hamelin

‘Once upon a time, a mysterious time that exists through a window in your mind, a time that seemed, to those present, exactly like now does to us, except their teeth weren’t so clean and more things were wooden, there was a town called Hamelin …’ In the first in his series of Trickster Tales, Russell Brand retells the classic children’s story The Pied Piper of Hamelin. You’ll be enchanted and revolted in equal measure by the host of characters you meet along the way: the anarchic rats, the arrogant townspeople, sharp-eyed Sam and of course the Pied Piper himself, all brought to life in Brand’s inimitable style and with the illustrations of Costa Award-winner Chris Riddell.

Reviews of Russell Brand’s Trickster Tales: The Pied Piper of Hamelin

* He attacks his first children's book with full force, coloring the story in with humorous asides, witty turns of phrase and a few choice nuggets of sage wisdom. Illustrator Riddell is just as sharp, filling the book with eye-popping illustrations and beautiful colouring … More important is Brand's treatment of the buffoons and bullies that occupy Hamelin: His takes on religion, sexism, consumerism and self-esteem are just as important to the text as the classic tale it's based on. His opinions are as easy to discern as many a conservative pundit's, though very much on the other side of the political spectrum. A smart, funny, iconoclastic take on an old classic Kirkus Reviews * Russell Brand's new book is a must-buy. Making his children's literature debut, Russell adds his magic to the tale of the legendary rat catcher, accompanied by mesmerising illustrations from Chris Riddell OK! Magazine * Every page is crowded with brightly coloured, immaculately illustrated characters Independent * When it comes to pleasure for readers, Brand's genuinely original sparky prose delivers … It's damn good fun Big Issue * The story is sassy, whimsical, a bit rude at times, and just as much fun for adult readers as well as kids. The illustrations are colorful and wildly expressive Childrens Book Chat blog