Literature & Fiction
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The Mouse and the Motorcycle
In this imaginative adventure from Newbery Medal–winning author Beverly Cleary, a young mouse named Ralph is thrown into a world of excitement when a boy and his shiny toy motorcycle check in to the Mountain View Inn.
When the ever-curious Ralph spots Keith's red toy motorcycle, he vows to ride it. So when Keith leaves the bike unattended in his room one day, Ralph makes his move. But with all this freedom (and speed!) come a lot of obstacles. Whether dodging a rowdy terrier or keeping his nosy cousins away from his new wheels, Ralph has a lot going on! And with a pal like Keith always looking out for him, there's nothing this little mouse can't handle.
This timeless classic now features a foreword written by New York Times bestselling author Kate DiCamillo, as well as an exclusive interview with Beverly Cleary herself.
The Mouse and the Motorcycle is perfect for independent reading or for shared reading at home or in a classroom. This fun story is the first of a trilogy, along with Runaway Ralph and Ralph S. Mouse, all inspired by the author's hope to create appealing books for boys and girls-and by the sight of her son playing with toy cars.
When the ever-curious Ralph spots Keith's red toy motorcycle, he vows to ride it. So when Keith leaves the bike unattended in his room one day, Ralph makes his move. But with all this freedom (and speed!) come a lot of obstacles. Whether dodging a rowdy terrier or keeping his nosy cousins away from his new wheels, Ralph has a lot going on! And with a pal like Keith always looking out for him, there's nothing this little mouse can't handle.
This timeless classic now features a foreword written by New York Times bestselling author Kate DiCamillo, as well as an exclusive interview with Beverly Cleary herself.
The Mouse and the Motorcycle is perfect for independent reading or for shared reading at home or in a classroom. This fun story is the first of a trilogy, along with Runaway Ralph and Ralph S. Mouse, all inspired by the author's hope to create appealing books for boys and girls-and by the sight of her son playing with toy cars.
Editorial Reviews
One might know that if Beverly Cleary were to invent a mouse, it would be a down-to-earth, boyish mouse with a proclivity for getting into scrapes. A good story! -- Chicago Tribune
Readers Top Reviews
d808Sheila Gallagher
My daughter came across this classic Beverly Cleary book at our local library a couple months ago and she loved it so much that we had to extend the borrowing period. It was then evident that we needed a copy of our own, thankfully this is still in print in hardcover. While the story has dated references, my daughter still loves it and can't get enough.
Hyped Reviewer
Summary: About a boy named Keith who stayed in the motel room, where a mouse named Ralph lived. Keith brings some toy cars including a motorcycle, and while he is gone Ralph climbs up the telephone cord and tries to ride the motorcycle. However, he did not know how to start it. He pushed the ground with his feet and rode it around the bedspread and used his heels for brakes. Then, the telephone gave a loud ring, and startled, Ralph forgot to use his heels and fell into the wastebasket. Then, at night, Keith looked inside the basket and was surprised to find a mouse. They spoke the same language, which was no surprise because they both shared a love for motorcycles. Keith showed Ralph how to start the motorcycle, and even provided Ralph's family with food from the kitchen. One night, Keith feels sick, and his parents try to find aspirin. When they can't find it anyplace, Ralph decides to find it for him. There is a thrilling adventure ahead for the mouse, and will Ralph get the tablet on time? Read the story to find out. It has a naturally flowing plot. Got me really into it. Deserves an applause. Genre: Realistic Fiction
Beth Cram
I am a school teacher and I try to buy a class set of these books EVERY YEAR!!! ... for Christmas presents! We read this book aloud each fall and I sew Ralph the Mouse finger puppets and put a half Ping-Pong ball with rubber band helmet on it... I also buy little party favor motorcycle toys at Walmart and the kids have LOVED it every year so far! This is my ALL TIME favorite novel for kids!
Dog Owner
My 4th grade students loved this! I loved reading it again as an adult. Most had never read it. I have a broad range of students this year. The storyline hooked my reluctant readers and my ELL/ESL/CLD students. There was enough drama for my above-level readers. Each day, the students wanted to continue reading to find out what would happen next. The reading level was low enough that my reluctant readers did not become discouraged. I enjoyed listening to the conversations students had about the characters and the story. Most went on to read the next book in the series. I found a segment in our Reading rext that detailed mice, so the kids were excited to learn more. Very happy I picked this for my book study this year. I found the 1980's movie through Prime, and the kids really liked it. Very '80's cheesy, but wholesome, innocent, and cute.
Kindle
I read Stephen King as a kid and I've moved on to kids' classics as an adult. Don't judge. Anyway, 'The Mouse and the Motorcycle' did serve up a couple of moral lessons in a hamfisted sort of way but the other 99% was fun, hilarious and sweet. The mental image of a mouse rocketing around an old hotel on a motorcycle (going "PBBB-B-B-B!") with a pin-pong ball helmet on his head is priceless. I'll have to read the others.
