Ralph S. Mouse » (Reprint)

New readers find a friend in Beverly Cleary, who displays an uncanny understanding of kid life in Ramona Quimby, Age 8, Henry Huggins, and other titles in her classic series of books about life on Klickitat Street -- books that hold up decade after decade.

"In a sequel worthy of The Mouse and the Motorcycle and Runaway Ralph, the dauntless mouse Ralph goes to school....Cleary captures the essence of classroom bickering and the warm relationship between a good teacher and her students....The story is a deft blend of realism and fantasy, quietly and consistently funny, and occasionally touching...Again, bravo."—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books.

Children's Literature

The intrepid mouse Ralph, who first appeared in The Motorcycle and the Mouse, continues his adventures in this third book of the author's entertaining series. Ralph lives at the Mountain View Inn, a hotel that has seen better days. He and Ryan, the son of the new hotel housekeeper, are friends. When Ralph gets fed up with his pesky cousins and nagging relatives, he asks Ryan to take him to school. Ralph envisions riding his motorcycle up and down the school's smooth hallways at night when all the children have gone home. Things don't work out exactly as planned when one of the girls in Ryan's class discovers him. Ralph becomes a class project, which is boring and bothersome. But Ralph learns a lot at school and proves that he is quite a smart mouse indeed. 2000 (orig. 1982), HarperTrophy/HarperCollins, $5.95. Ages 7 to 11. Reviewer: Jeanne K. Pettenati AGES: 7 8 9 10 11