Ralph S. Mouse facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | Beverly Cleary |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Paul O. Zelinsky |
| Cover artist | Paul O. Zelinsky |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Mouse and the Motorcycle |
| Genre | Children's novel |
| Publisher | William Morrow |
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Publication date
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1982 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover and Paperback) |
| Pages | 139 pp |
| ISBN | 0-241-10883-7 |
| OCLC | 16592488 |
| Preceded by | Runaway Ralph |
Ralph S. Mouse is an exciting children's novel written by Beverly Cleary. It's the third book in a popular series about a special mouse named Ralph. Ralph is unique because he can talk, but only with certain people, usually those who are a bit lonely. This book was first published in 1982 and features wonderful drawings by Paul O. Zelinsky.
Later, in 1991, a movie based on the book was shown as part of the ABC Weekend Special TV series.
Contents
About Ralph S. Mouse
The Story of Ralph
Ralph's Big Move
In this adventure, Ralph has become good friends with a young boy named Ryan. Ryan is the son of the new housekeeper at the inn where Ralph lives. Ryan even gave Ralph his full name: "Ralph S. Mouse," with the "S" standing for "Smart"!
Ralph starts to get annoyed with his mouse family. They keep trying to ride his special motorcycle, and he doesn't want them to. He also worries that their messy droppings will cause the hotel staff to try and get rid of all the mice. So, Ralph asks Ryan to take him to school. Ralph plans to hide there and live out the rest of his life in peace.
School Adventures
But Ralph's plan doesn't quite work out. Ryan's classmates quickly discover him. They decide to make Ralph their class pet! To see how clever he is, they even build a maze for him to run through.
Meanwhile, Ryan is having a tough time with a boy in his class named Brad. Brad is a bit aggressive. By accident, Brad breaks Ralph's motorcycle. Ralph gets upset and blames Ryan, then runs away to hide in the school.
However, Ralph also bravely confronts Brad about breaking his motorcycle. Brad is surprised to learn that Ralph can talk! He offers to make things right for both Ralph and Ryan. Ryan and Brad soon discover they have a lot in common and become friends.
New Friends and a New Ride
Ryan brings Ralph home from school on the bus. His new friend Brad comes along to visit the inn. Brad makes up for breaking Ralph's motorcycle by giving him a cool model "Laser XL7" sports car.
Ralph quickly finds out that he can't make the car move with the same "pb-pb-pb" sound he uses for his motorcycle. Instead, he has to go "vroom-vroom!" Ralph also discovers that he can safely give his younger mouse relatives rides in the car. He doesn't have to worry about them being careless with it, but only Ralph can drive the car.
In a happy turn of events, Brad's father meets Ryan's mother. Six months later, they get married! This means Ryan and Brad become step-brothers, and their friendship grows even stronger.
The Mouse and Motorcycle Books
The story of Ralph S. Mouse is part of a series of books by Beverly Cleary. Here are the books in order:
- The Mouse and the Motorcycle (1965)
- Runaway Ralph (1970)
- Ralph S. Mouse (1982)
Ralph S. Mouse on Screen
A movie version of Ralph S. Mouse was made in 1990 by Churchill Films. It was directed by Thomas G. Smith, with animation directed by John Clark Matthews. The role of Ryan was played by Robert Oliveri. This film was shown on TV as part of the ABC Weekend Special in 1991.
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