The Tattooed Rats
by Jerry Jenkins & John Perrodin
Franklin: Integrity Publishers, 2006, 233 pp., hardcover.

The Tattooed Rats is a youth novel set in the near future (2012), a time when religion has been outlawed. A teen believer named Patch takes a stand for Christ and is targeted for reprogramming by the World Peace Alliance.

The book is aimed at young adults--to me, the reading level seemed about 5th grade, but nowadays, that probably means the target demographic is early high school. I know my 10th grader would find it too simplistic, but I will offer it to my 12-year-old twins to see if it catches their attention.

The message of standing for truth and goodness--even if you mess up the first time--is a good one, as is the example of teens who question authority when those in authority make incoherent statements. While much of the story is written plausibly, there are some supernatural elements thrown in, such as dragon-like demons who wear human "costumes."

The Tattooed Rats is the first book in the "Renegade Spirit" series.

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