Anatole, by Eve TitusRead about the other entries on the list.
Before Ratatouille, there was another French rat looking to impress humans with his gourmet tastes. Though the story is delightful, the element that really sticks in the memory is Paul Galdone’s sparsely colored artwork, which manages to stick relatively close to rodent anatomy without coming off as, well, disgusting.
Also see Rebecca Stead's top ten American children's classics you may have missed.
--Marshal Zeringue