Secret ingredient behind author’s book – rat pee!
Emily Gravett, who has just won the most coveted award for children’s illustration with Little Mouse’s Big Book of Fears, exploring the phobias of a mouse, revealed that she had used rodent’s urine to give the pages a yellow tinge and make them look “properly ratted”.
The author has dedicated her latest book to her two pet rats Button and Moo that are now dead, and were happy to nibble away at pieces of paper.
“They are easy to persuade. You just have to bribe them with food,” the Telegraph quoted her as telling The Guardian.
“They like anything with fat,” she added. “They are real gluttons.”
She had scanned the chewed, urinated-on pages and used them as background for her illustrations.
The Little Mouse’s Big Book of Fears won the CILIP medal for book illustration. (ANI)
July 1st, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Goodness. At least she knew her pet rats wouldn’t be spreading any diseases.
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:53 am
I’m so glad I found your site! I don’t have any rats now, but I’ve had 11 in my life. All have gone to the Rainbow Bridge, but one day I’ll get more.
I look forward to reading more. Rats are wonderful, and truly the best pets. The only reason I’m hesitant to get more is because they live such short lives…it’s so painful to lose them, and it happens so fast. I have a 3 year old daughter, and I’m not ready to introduce her to the concept of death just yet.
Thanks again for such a great site!
July 2nd, 2008 at 12:52 pm
Our rat is very fond of peanut butter. She is adorable when it gets a bit stuck on the roof of her mouth!
July 2nd, 2008 at 11:45 pm
http://hereandnow4angel.blogspot.com/2008/05/emery-rat.html
I’m taking care of the classroom rat for the summer. She will be hard to give back!