Containing activities tailored to support the KS3 Framework for Teaching English, this work helps students fulfil the Framework objectives. It contains activities that include work on Speaking and Listening; close text analysis, and the structure of playscripts; and act as a springboard for personal writing. It provides advice on staging.

An engaging classroom playscript. Maurice is no ordinary cat. He's amazing. He can think, he can talk...and he has an amazing scam going. And all he needs to pull it off is an army of intelligent rats and one stupid-looking kid. But when his gang enter Bad Blintz, the town they have decided to con next, they soon realize that all is not as it should be - and decide to investigate. Three squads of rats spread out under the town, their mission to dismantle traps, bury poison, do some serious widdling, and to find out exactly what those resident rat-catchers are up to...

I am impressed with Stephen Briggs' adaptation...the script is clear and straightforward...the quality of the language and the underlying issues of the story lend themselves to the Key Stage 3 literacy and PSHE agendas