Kids into books: The new kid at school

Author: K.H. McMullan

Illustrator: Simon Clare

Publisher: Macmillan, $10.95

Age group: 7-10 years

Fergus scratched his beard and tried to think.

``He might kills rats for us, Fergus,'' Molwena
suggested.

``Wiglaf won't do that.''

``Wiglaf feels sorry for the rats,'' one of the younger brothers told the minstrel.

``Wiglaf won't squish a cockroach,'' another brother tattled. ``He won't even swat a fly.''

``Wiggie never wants to kill anything,'' complained a third.

``I was pulling the legs off a spider once, and -''

``I have it!'' Fergus bellowed suddenly. ``The minstrel can kill rats to earn his keep!'' He grinned. ``Show him to the sty, Wiglaf!''

So Wiglaf did just that. And later on he took a bowl of Molwena's cabbage soup out to the minstrel for his supper.

* Tomorrow: Wiglaf's best friend.