“Artfully weaves extensive research and personal enthusiasm into a humorous treatise on the merits of rats, ‘perhaps the world’s most unfairly reviled species,’ as pets. In a book that serves, in part, as a memoir of Toor’s late pet, Iris, she tackles head-on the visceral objections of many and extols the charms of the domesticated rat . . . The book is well targeted to animal-loving teens, and Toor’s conversational tone, wealth of information, and ebullience could sway many skeptics.”

 

―Publishers Weekly

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“In this irresistible memoir-manual, Toor interweaves scientific studies, autobiographical anecdotes, and surprisingly riveting research to dispel deep-seated—and often unwarranted—anxieties about Rattus norvegicus, or pet rats. Centered on her three-and-a-half-year love affair “with someone the size of a hot dog bun,” the ever-inquisitive Iris, Toor talks tails (they’re used for thermoregulation), travel, domestication, veterinary care, and rat types. Notably, Toor consistently couples scientific findings with her own effortlessly engaging narrative. In a particularly poignant chapter, Toor pairs research on rats’ empathic capability with Iris’ undeniable bond to Toor’s terminally ill mother. With its photo-marked chapter breaks, handy further reading suggestions, and conversational tone, this is not only a useful resource for future rat owners and ardent animal-lovers but also young essay writers.”

 

—Booklist