Rotten Ralph Helps Out

Sarah is learning about ancient Egypt at school, and when she tries to decide on the perfect class project, her bad cat, Ralph, helps out--with typically disastrous results. Author Jack Gantos narrates comfortably and has the ideal sly intonation for lines like, "Sarah's teacher was impressed. Her school friends were impressed. Of course, Ralph was impressed with himself." Gantos never talks down to his young listeners, and this early-reader book delivers plenty of fun facts about ancient Egyptians. (Ralph discovers that they invented handshakes and pancakes and they revered cats.) Nicole Rubel's funny, colorful illustrations make it a page-turner, and great Egyptian-inspired background music adds to the atmosphere. J.M.D. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine

Starred review from July 2, 2001
Fans of Gantos's irrepressible Ralph who are ready to graduate from picture books will eagerly leap into this early chapter book, the first installment of the Rotten Ralph Rotten Reader series. Not surprisingly, the disaster-prone feline initially does not help out at all, but rather comically wreaks havoc as he accompanies Sarah to the library. While she researches a school project on the Egyptians, Ralph constructs a pyramid out of books and practices writing hieroglyphics on the walls. Back home, the rambunctious cat, more determined than ever to offer assistance, proceeds to flood the bathroom when Sarah suggests they build a model of an Egyptian boat; he also fills the living room with sand and palm trees when she considers building a desert oasis. In a pleasing if predictable turnabout, Ralph comes to Sarah's rescue when he dresses up as the Sphinx to provide her with a winning project for school. The author sprinkles his lighthearted narrative with facts about ancient Egyptian culture and lifestyle. His animated pictures feature ample amusing particulars and reveal the less-than-rotten Ralph with a range of diverting facial expressions. Gantos gets it right again. Ages 6-8.