Publisher's Synopsis
Well known as the cleanest city in Europe, if not the world, Hamelin seems the perfect place for Sarah Weatherman to bring her accident-prone son, Bert. Hamelin is a world of cleanliness and tidiness, where there's a place for everything and everyone knows their place. However, just as Sarah and Bert arrive, the town is besieged by a plague of rats and only one man seems able to help the beleaguered mayor and councillors. The mysterious Pied Piper promises to help the town, but at a price. Will the mayor forego his love of ermine robes in order to remove the rats? Or will the citizens abandon their obsessive cleanliness and tidiness and learn to love mess? As for the rats, will they ever gain the respect from humans they feel they deserve? With words to all-new songs, 'The Pied Piper of Ham-a-lee-in' is more than just a retelling of a well-loved tale. It is a musical adventure inspired by Robert Browning's famous poem (music available via the author's website), a humorous story that the whole family will enjoy. Follow the fate of Ham-a-lee-in as the unfortunate citizens, their hapless mayor and his clever wife confront personal tragedy, political corruption and the horror of an unpolished cobble. 'The Pied Piper of Ham-a-lee-in' is a wonderful way to introduce children to Browning's poem and to explore moral issues in a light-hearted way. Based on a musical play originally written for a London primary school, it is perfect for the nine-thirteen year-old age range, but is sure to be enjoyed by those older and younger as well.
