School for Bandits

May 23, 2011
Concerned about their son Ralph's "shockingly polite" behavior, Mr. and Mrs. Raccoon send him to "Bandit School" in this fish-out-of-water story. While Shaw's scraggly raccoons fight, create stink bombs, and throw food, Ralph gets it wrong ("Ralph Raccoon! You must learn to take things that aren't yours without asking," Mrs. Mischief scolds). But when it's time for the Best Bandit in School competition, Ralph learns that he doesn't have to compromise his morals to win. While it can be tough to root for the goody-goody character (especially when the others are having so much fun), the promise of piles of candy for good behavior (and the threat of incarceration for bad) certainly helps. Ages 5â8.

August 1, 2011

K-Gr 2-Ralph's parents are worried about him. A good raccoon is not supposed to be clean, tidy, and polite, but their son is all of those things. They are so concerned about his behavior that they enroll him in a school for bandits to learn the bad manners that every raccoon must possess. His teacher, Mrs. Mischief, is disappointed in his progress, and his classmates make fun of him. Given the assignment to return after a vacation with a bag of loot acquired by dishonest means, Ralph surprises them with a heavy sack of goodies and wins the Best Bandit Competition. When the other students learn that he received the treats in return for doing good deeds, he teaches them to change their ways and their perceptions of what a good raccoon should be. He becomes a role model and the pride of his parents. This clever story is packed with childlike humor. The pen-and-ink drawings are in bold colors and are full of action and creative details. There is so much to explore that children will want to read this picture book again and again.-Diane Antezzo, Ridgefield Library, CT

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from August 1, 2011
Preschool-G *Starred Review* Mr. and Mrs. Raccoon aren't happy with their son, Ralph, who is disturbingly well behaved. There's only one thing to do: send him to bandit school! Once there, Ralph doesn't fit in. While his fellow raccoons toss food, fight, and disrupt the classroom (with the teacher's approval), Ralph quietly does his work. He is sure that he has no chance of winning the Best Bandit in School contestwhoever fills his sack with the most loot wins. While the other kids race to collect stuff, Ralph is out helping others. The more he helps, the more treats he's given, and, in an amusing twist, it is Ralph who is the best bandit when the sacks are emptied, causing a shift in the other raccoons' attitudes. A great way to introduce the concepts of politeness and consideration to children, this makes the messages especially palatable with hysterical artwork. Crowded with masked raccoons, the illustrations curve into off-kilter perspectives that add to the sense of nonstop motion. Kids can find something funny in the pictures with each viewingand, along the way, might absorb the idea that it's good to be good.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)