RATS

After Sam talks his reluctant parents into letting him have a pet rat, the results are one comical mishap after another. Actually, unbeknowst to his parents, Sam has already purchased the rat; and the way he plays off one parent against the other in order to finagle approval before bringing it home is both convincing and hilarious. Dubbed ""Nibbles,"" the new pet brings a dash of excitement to the household: unwittingly curing a family friend of her rat phobia; causing a couple of run-ins with the long-suffering local police (including a brush with an imaginary burglar); and keeping everyone guessing why ""he"" is putting on so much weight. Although the ending (nine babies arrive; Sam, by negotiating for three, gets to keep two, as he had hoped) isn't much of a surprise, it's undeniably fun, as Hutchins once again displays her knack for capturing the lighter moments of family life.