#89 The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary (1967)
22 points
The classic! The current popular Humphrey books (about the classroom hamster) could never be without Ralph and his motorcycle. – Gina Detate
We’re only into our second round of chapter book reveals and already Beverly Cleary has made another appearance (her first being Ramona and Her Father at #94). And for a book that has fans, albeit quiet ones. I think Gina put it best here when she pointed out that the current crop of small pet-like heroes (Sasspants, Humphrey, Freddy, etc.) owe this little guy a huge debt.
The description from the publisher reads, “Ralph the mouse ventures out from behind the piney knothole in the wall of his hotel-room home, scrambles up the telephone wire to the end table, and climbs aboard the toy motorcycle left there by a young guest. His thrill ride does not last long. The ringing telephone startles Ralph, and he and the motorcycle take a terrible fall – right to the bottom of a metal wastebasket. Luckily, Keith, the owner of the motorcycle, returns to find his toy. Keith rescues Ralph and teaches him how to ride the bike. Thus begins a great friendship and many awesome adventures. Once a mouse can ride a motorcyle … almost anything can happen!”
Harper Collins has an amusing list of awards won by the book. These include (but clearly are not limited to):
- Nene Award (Hawaii)
- William Allen White Children’s Book Award (Kansas)
- ALA Notable Children’s Book
- ALA Notable Children’s Book
- Great Stone Face Book Award (New Hampshire)
- Great Stone Face Book Award (New Hampshire)
- Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Reader’s Choice Award
- Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Reader’s Choice Award
- Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Reader’s Choice Award
Many a cover has existed in the day.
Though my favorite cover may be this one by Meredith Fern.
And then there was the live action/stop animation film . . .
About Elizabeth Bird
Ralph finds new worshipers ever year. The “Classic” tag is not bandied about cheaply in this case.
I LOVED this book as a kid-I look forward to reading it again!
I thought about putting this book on my list. Love it! I remember my Mom read it to my little brother (who usually wouldn’t sit still for a book) and she loved to talk about it, saying “Of COURSE the way to make a toy motorcycle go is make a motorcycle noise! Every little boy knows that!”
Later, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book to my son. We read all the Ralph books to him. A lovely classic.