Review by Booklist Review
Gr. 1-2. Rotten Ralph and Sarah explore all things Egyptian in this latest adventure. Sarah invites Ralph to help her come up with a school project that represents Egyptian culture. Of course, everything goes hilariously awry. At the library, Ralph builds a pyramid of books and draws hieroglyphics on the walls; at home, he floods the hallway while trying to make a boat, and piles sand in the living room, to re-create a desert oasis. "Every time I want to do something fun you spoil it," says Sarah. In the end, however, Ralph's Sphinx costume makes him the hit of the class. The text's short sentences and dialogue are basic enough for new readers while imparting plenty of interesting facts about the Egyptians. Rubel's familiar, richly colored cartoon illustrations show the chaos and humor. --Gillian Engberg
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
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. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-Jack Gantos's Rotten Ralph beginning reader (Farrar, 2001) offers a humorous exploration of how to become an Egyptian, summarized into four chapters: "Walk Like an Egyptian," "Read Like an Egyptian," "Shake Like an Egyptian" and "Look Like an Egyptian." Listeners learn about the lifestyles and customs of Ancient Egypt when Ralph, the adventurous feline, wants to help Sarah, his owner, with her class project. Sarah and Ralph go to the library to work on the project but, as usual, Ralph gets into trouble. In the end, Ralph lives up to his reputation of a "wise cat" and helps Sarah with her project by dressing up as the Sphinx to save the day. Background noises such as pouring kitty litter, flipping pancakes, and running water enhance the audio experience and draw listeners into the setting. Gantos's expressive narration brings Rotten Ralph's emotions to life. Although Ralph never utters a single word, the audience will laugh at his pranks and relate to his fallibility and persistence. One audio track has page-turn signals, and the other is straight narration. Listeners will enjoy the story's humor and Nicole Rubel's colorful illustrations.-Ann Crewdson, King County Library System, Issaquah, WA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
(Primary) Youngsters who met, and enjoyed, Rotten Ralph in his numerous picture book outings now have the good fortune to encounter the fractious feline in a beginning reader. Their familiarity with the characters and the kind of mischief Rotten Ralph can create will help them predict both vocabulary and story development, thus simplifying the act of reading. Sarah, Ralph's long-suffering owner, has to make a project on ancient Egypt. Ralph's help, which includes constructing a pyramid of books in the library, building a desert oasis in the living room, and dumping his bug collection (complete with beetles) in Sarah's lap, is of little value. Not until he dresses up like the greatest cat of ancient Egypt, the Sphinx, does the Rotten one produce a product worthy of the exalted status Egyptians afforded cats and his present cocksure self. ""Sarah's teacher was impressed. Her school friends were impressed. Of course, Ralph was impressed with himself."" Gantos unobtrusively includes many facts about Egypt (ancient Egyptians made the first pancakes, played checkers, and built libraries) within the narrative, while Rubel's illustrations not only parallel the story but also reflect the underlying frenzy through contrasting colors, busy detail, and diagonal lines. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Rotten Ralph's bouncy, semi-bad behavior and amusing antics have been delighting children for years in the long-running series from the versatile Gantos (Joey Pigza Loses Control, 2000, etc.). Now the irrepressible Ralph has moved on to "Rotten Ralph Rotten Readers" in this upper-level easy reader with an Egyptian theme that will dovetail nicely into first- and second-grade classrooms studying ancient Egypt. Ralph's owner, the ever-cheerful Sarah, shares all the interesting facts she's learned in the class Egyptian unit, and Ralph tries to help her with her library research and her individual class project, causing his familiar brand of minor troubles at every turn. (He does at least attempt to be helpful in this story, rather than rotten as in some of his previous capers.) Rubel's flat, stylized illustrations in full color are a natural complement to the Egyptian style of art, and she adds a good deal of additional information on ancient Egyptian culture through her illustrations. The text is set in large type with plenty of white space, and the story is divided into four simple chapters. Although this will function well as an amusing and educational easy reader, it contains enough facts and illustrations about ancient Egypt to serve as the corner stone for a classroom thematic unit-all that and rascally red Rotten Ralph, too. (Easy reader. 6-8)
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
