Book Nook: Ralph S. Mouse – Beverly Cleary

It’s funny to me that the first book in the series is called The Mouse and the Motorcycle, because each of the 3 books is pretty much Ralph losing the motorcycle, and spending the majority of the book trying to get it back.

In book 1 he’s forced to leave it behind while escaping from a pile of laundry.

In book 2 it’s left outside when Garf saves him from a cat and puts him in a cage.

In book 3 it’s held hostage by the new young boy character, Ryan.

The series should more accurately be called The Mouse Without a Motorcycle.

Back in the inn with his family, Ralph once again gets tired of his siblings and cousins demanding a ride on his motorcycle. Instead of running away on his own like he did in book 2, he gets Ryan to take him to school.

Keith, from book 1, seems to be the only polite kid, as Garf (book 2) and Ryan (book 3) both use Ralph’s motorcycle as a way of controlling him.

They pretty much say “Do what I want you to do if you want to see your motorcycle again.”

I’m not really a fan of these manipulative and controlling kids, and Ralph still has some of that attitude that he had in Runaway Ralph.

This is the final book in the series, so it has the responsibility of teaching Ralph how to be kind to his siblings and cousins. It also has to resolve the issue of Ralph’s motorcycle tires wearing out.

I feel like book 1 is the best, and that books 2 and 3 are pretty similar in quality to each other.

They’re entertaining books for children, and, as I mentioned in the previous review, they don’t take that long to read.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

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