Young Adult Literature
Young adult literature used to get a bad rap. But you know who gave it a bad rap? Adults, who like Old Adult Literature. A look around at any of the authors today who are raking in the big bucks (like Stephenie Meyer or J.K. Rowling or Suzanne Collins) should tell you that young adult literature (YA lit) is back in force.
YA lit often focuses on—you guessed it, young adults—which the American Library Association defines as people aged 12-18. It also often features younger or smaller characters that need to solve a big problem or face off against something or someone more powerful in spite of their young age. While the characters in Rats aren't teens (or even humans), this book is definitely for young adults and fits the bill for YA lit because the relatively powerless animal characters square off against some pretty big forces. Oh—and they win, of course.