VAN DE WEERT, Johannes
The Adventures of Red Rat and BIGGO - The Present

The Adventures of Red Rat and BIGGO — The Present is a remake of "Bram konijn en Piet de muis" [Bram the Rabbit and Piet the Mouse], a 1982 children’s book by Johannes van de Weert, a veteran of the Dutch punk underground who played with Rondos and The Ex, and who was the force behind Red Rat and Raket editions.

The Present is a 2010 remake telling the story of a bully pig who terrifies a poor rat on a daily basis. After a while, the rat falls ill with fear and has to stay in bed. The lonely, evil pig has no one to play with and becomes depressed. The pig gives the rat a present — a bunch of beautiful flowers — and all is well. Now the two can play together.

The 2010 remake, featuring different characters and intended for a North Korean audience, was never published. The 2025 English version opens with an introduction by Van de Weert, telling a bizarre story of a failed political career and an absurd vaudeville class struggle behind the seemingly harmless educational children’s book. [publisher's note]

Published by Rab-Rab Press, 2026
Design by Ott Kagovere
Children's Books