Runaway Ralph - (Ralph S. Mouse) by Beverly Cleary (Paperback)

About the Book

In the award-winning sequel to Beverly Cleary's beloved story "The Mouse and the Motorcycle", Ralph is determined to be something more than just a crumb-scrounging mouse--he's going to live a life of speed, danger, and excitement at summer camp. It turns out camp is not all fun, and soon Ralph realizes home is a pretty place after all. Illustrations.

Book Synopsis

Newbery Medal-winning author Beverly Cleary ramps up the humor and adventure in the second book in the Ralph S. Mouse trilogy.

With a motorcycle to rev and the open road to see, Ralph S. Mouse is itching to run away from his overprotective family! But once he escapes to a summer campground nearby, the horrors of the wild make him doubt his plan. Angry cats, scary watchdogs, and grouchy gophers are only the half of it...

But then he befriends Garf, a sad and friendless boy at the camp. Though he wants desperately to be back home with his relatives, Ralph realizes that he may need to help Garf before he can help himself.

Runaway Ralph is perfect for independent reading or for shared reading at home or in a classroom. This fun story is the second of a trilogy, along with The Mouse and the Motorcycle 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.

From the Back Cover

Ralph is on the run!

Fed up with his family, Ralph decides to hop on his motorcycle and head down the road to Happy Acres Camp. Unfortunately, life at camp is not all peanut butter and jelly sandwiches! A strict watchdog, a mouse-hungry cat, and a troubled boy named Garf keep Ralph on his toes and away from his precious motorcycle. Perhaps home is not such a bad place to be . . . if only Ralph can find a way to get there again!

Review Quotes

"Cleary again successfully combines fantasy and reality." - Booklist

"Life with family is too stifling for a daring young motorcyclist, eager to try his wheels ... a funny story with a sympathetic hero." - School Library Journal