About the book

A Mischief of Rats: The Surprising Inner Lives of the World's Most Successful Animal

by Staci Layne Wilson

Forget everything you think you know about rats. They laugh when tickled, dream about the future, and will risk their own safety to help a friend in distress. They're cleaner than most pets, smarter than we ever imagined, and have been changing science while we weren't paying attention.

From the laboratories where rats drive tiny cars for fun to the ancient temples where they're worshipped as gods, A Mischief of Rats is the most comprehensive exploration of these remarkable creatures ever written. Part natural history, part advocacy journalism, and part love letter to the world's most maligned mammal, this book combines cutting-edge science with pop culture deep-dives, practical pet care with historical adventures, and laugh-out-loud humor with genuine heart.

Whether you're already a devoted rat parent or someone who's never considered that rats might actually be incredible, this book will change how you see these whiskered survivors who've been sharing our world—and outsmarting us—for millennia.