Actually, the Redwall book you mention is just one book in a series that
he has written.  They are okay books.  They aren't great, but appeal to
many children becasue all the characters are animals.
 
I must admit that I got into them at first too.  But after a while, you
realize that they are violent and stereotypic.  The rats and ferrets are
always the bad guys.  Mice are always good.  The mice win by getting the
big sword and killing the bad <instert ferret or rat here.>
 
While stereotypes are bad, I think it might be good to read and start a
conversation with my nephew about racism.  "Yes, people think that, but
remember in the Redwall books, everyone though ferrets were always bad
too?  Are they?"
 
Perhaps a big too corney, but I've got a few years to figure it out.
[Posted in FML issue 3500]