The Pied Piper of Hamelin: Russell Brand's Trickster Tales

By: Russell Brand

Narrated by: Russell Brand

Length: 45 mins

Publisher's summary

With this first book in Russell Brand's Trickster Tales series, the famed comedian, actor, and best-selling author delivers a hilarious retelling of an old fairytale favorite that will appeal to adults and children alike.

Once upon a time, long ago, in a time that seemed, to those present, exactly like now except their teeth weren't so clean and more things were wooden, there was a town called Hamelin. The people of Hamelin were a pompous bunch who loved themselves and their town so much that if it were possible they would have spent all day zipped up in a space suit smelling their own farts. But space suits hadn't been invented yet, so they couldn't.

Then one day without warning a gang of rats bowled into the town and began causing a right rumpus…

So begins Russell Brand's wildly funny and surprisingly wise retelling of the classic tale "The Pied Piper of Hamelin". Whether you're a kid or a grown-up kid, you'll be chuckling the whole way through this zany story that bypasses Brand's more adult humor for the outrageous, the madcap, and the just plain silly.

Maybe you've heard about the Pied Piper before, with his strange music and those pompous townspeople and pesky rats. Or maybe you haven't. But one thing is for sure: you've never heard it quite like this.

©2014 Russell Brand (P)2014 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

Fun for all ages

My kids and I both loved this book. How they also record Brand's version of The Emperor Has No Clothes.

Saving Cindy

For the first time in 17 months, I smiled. All alone in a home not made for one. An iron gate that keeps most out is my Hamelin. Not one smile. Several. Thank you Russell.

Wow! What a whimsical world Russell Brand creates!

What did you like best about this story?

Fanciful story and lyrical language give a timeless quality to this classic fable. Russell Brand narrates with a sense of wonder and wisdom, calmly pointing out noble lessons such as patience, cooperation, acceptance, connectivity, and mindfulness, amid toilet humor for the potty-mouthed children. My review cannot do justice to this unique tale.

Great for kiddos

I was very excited to find that Russell's story was available through audio. His narration helped me read it to my daughter in the cadence it was originally written to be. Not only does she like the illustrations she is able to understand the moral of the story. I would like to see more Russell Brand children's stories that he also narrates.

Utterly delightful

Russell has a rapid fire delivery and a charming accent that some might find hard to jump into, but that is one of the things I love the most about this. He has a brilliant wit on full display. His use of character voices and asides had me grinning and laughing out loud. Bravo!
If Audible were to choose him to read the phone book (for those that remember what they were) I daresay I would gladly purchase that as well.

Wonderfully Subversive & Irreverent

It's everything that you would hope it would be. The narration is great. The tale is wonderfully subversive and irreverent.

Brilliant

So much fun to listen to! The words are like jabberwocky at times. Total ear candy!

Brilliant fun.

Brand has a great spin on a classic. And told with the Sincere energy you would expect. Family friendly enough that my four-year-old daughter loves it and laughs the entire time

Russel - give us more

Brilliant.... I have listened over and over and still laughed out loud.

He must give us more.

I will pre-buy, sign me up to all stories Russel B!

Seriously, having grown up with fancy names given to those around by my mum... Russel Brand is a story teller with a gift. I would buy a subscription.

Incredible wit and timing. Please give us more!

Excellent

Witty insightful twisted all in all great parable for today. Recommend for all different ages.