YMMV / The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents

• Fridge Brilliance: There may be a reason why the animals treat sapience and the ability to talk as the same thing. It's often speculated that the reason humans are so much smarter than other species is our ability to talk, since it's hard to communicate abstract concepts without language.
• Jerkass Woobie: You've got to feel sorry for Hamnpork, despite his Jerkass tendencies.
• What Do You Mean, It's for Kids?: Terry Pratchett puts into practice his thesis in Hogfather that a good children's story ought to be really dark.