Gerard Sayer
The philosophy behind the book is to have written a children’s adventure that can also hold the attention of the reading parent. Scattered within the story are a number of jokes that only an adult will appreciate, however these are sparse enough not to impede on the child’s enjoyment of the book. An adult will still need to be a child at heart to fully appreciate the book.The first installment sees Lana being hamsternapped by a naughty hamster and held captive in the Minster at Southwell. Seven intrepid hamsters, led by Marto, travel through various villages en-route to rescuing her. Each day they meet various indigenous creatures, and have many a narrow escape. Having finally arrived, Lana has grown accustom to her life style, and all the hamsters settle to live at the Minster.The follow episode has the arrival of Custard, a concert promoting hamster. He organizes the heroes into a rock band. Each day, aided by a different couple of the troop, he travels back across the countryside to invite the animals met in the first story to attend the inaugural gig. The installment ends with the concert being a resounding success.The final part involves Marto being returned to the original pet shop that he and the others had traveled from in part one. The remaining hamsters band together to rescue him, again visiting various village locations and this time meeting different members of the British wildlife. Having been reunited with Marto, more adventures follow as the group head for the seaside, and a welcome retirement. Set within the overall framework, each of the thirty three chapters is a story in itself, starting with the hamsters waking up, having a mini adventure that day, and ending with them going to bed. Each chapter can be read to the audience in about fifteen minutes, a suitable length for children from five upwards.
