Fans will know that anything bearing Terry Pratchett's name is certain to be entertaining. The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents is one of Pratchett's YA novels, and though it is set in Discworld, it can be read as a standalone.
Maurice is a peculiar cat, as are the pack of rats that accompany him, given that they can all speak English and read. Though they aren't exactly sure how they gained these abilities, they are inclined to make the best of it - by recruiting a human boy (Keith) and running a pied piper scam in a town called Bad Blintz.
The plan seems solid. The rats head into town and cause trouble for a few days, then Keith and Maurice show up, summon the rats away and collect their fee from the grateful townspeople.
But when they get there, they realize Bad Blintz already has a rat problem...a particularly vicious one.
The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents is not a new book, it was actually published in 2001. But it's a personal favorite and (as is Pratchett's talent) holds up well. It was recently confirmed that this book had been picked up for a movie adaptation, and while there are few details available about that, this is an excellent opportunity to get a head start and check out the brilliant book first. If you're interested, you can find The Amazing Maurice here.