The Mouse and the Motorcycle series is a classic children’s series from legendary children’s author Beverly Cleary. With over 39 books under her belt, Cleary has cleared herself an unmovable part in American society and literature. Runaway Ralph is the second book in the classic series following an adventurous little mouse called Ralph and his unlikely friendships.
Keep reading for a look at everything you need to know about this exciting & daring classic children’s story!
Table of Contents [CLICK HERE TO OPEN]
Runaway Ralph – Beverly Cleary
Reading Age 5-9
Newbery Medal-winning author Beverly Cleary ramps up the humor and adventure in the second book in the Ralph S. Mouse trilogy.
Full Official 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.
About The Author
“Beverly Cleary was a literary treasure whose lively characters brought so much joy to this world.”
Reese Witherspoon
Beverly Cleary has one of the most all-American success stories of humble authors. Young Beverly learned to love books through her mother’s job as a librarian, although when she went to grammar school, she found herself in the low reading circle.
Despite her struggles, she persevered and her teachers long suggested that Cleary follow a career in writing.
Most of Cleary’s works are inspired from her childhood and from stories and experiences of those around her. This stems from her childhood reading days where she was unable to relate to a lot of characters in stories.
Honors and Awards
- 1978 Newbery Honor Book, Ramona and Her Father
- 1982 Newbery Honor Book, Ramona Quimby, Age 8
- 1984 Newbery Medal, Dear Mr. Henshaw
- National Book Award, Ramona and Her Mother
- Catholic Library Association’s 1980 Regina Medal Award
- University of Southern Mississippi’s 1982 Silver Medallion*
- Children’s Book Council 1985 Everychild Award*
- American Library Association’s 1975 Laura Ingalls Wilder Award*
- Named a 2000 Library of Congress ‘Living Legend’*
*All presented in recognition of her lasting contribution to children’s literature. Mrs. Cleary’s books have received more than 35 state awards based on the direct votes of her young readers. (*quoted from author’s page)
Cleary was active for a whopping 49 years and died only 5 short years after her last publication. Her influence on literature and culture is not lost. There is a school named in her honor as well as statues of some of her famous characters erected in Grant Park.
Our Review of Runaway Ralph (Ralph Mouse Book 2)
Cleary’s Ralph Mouse series continues to add some joy and adventure into our lives. It’s so easy to fall in love with her memorable and silly characters. There are some really sweet and funny aspects to this book that had me and my nephew laughing out loud.
He thought it was hilarious that the boy in this book was named Garf and I thought he was going to die laughing when I read the sign that he tacked above Ralph’s cage: “Pryvat! Keep Out! This Mowse is the Personul Property of Garfield R Jernigan. If you Fead Him You Will Drop Ded.” My nephew (age 9) found it really funny and ridiculous that the spelling was so terrible on the sign, and was in hysterics at the thoughts of a little mouse with a huge pencil trying (and failing) to write a legible sign.
After reading immediately he was asking if I had the next book in the series for him, which is a stellar review in and of itself!
In the second book, Ralph has a series of adventures – he runs away, finds out what it is to live in a cage – and has to use all his wits to scramble out of the mess he dug himself into.
Not to mention that the illustrations in this book are adorable, we spent almost as much time admiring the darling pictures as we did reading.
Safe to say, I think we have the stocking stuffers for this year’s Christmas presents sorted!
Runaway Ralph Read Aloud
This is a long book to watch read aloud videos for, so you and your children might prefer an audio book (available on Audible), but we will link the read aloud for chapter 1 below for a little teaser!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What reading level is Runaway Ralph?
A: The book uses fairly simple language, with a few words and phrases which might be a little challenging for new readers. My 9-year old nephew found it a little challenging at times to read aloud on his own, but with paired reading we think any child from ages 4+ would enjoy this book!
Q: Is there a Mouse and the Motorcycle movie?
A: There is a 1986 animated TV special! Watch on Prime
Q: Why did Ralph run away?
A: Ralph is a stubborn little mouse! He runs away to be more independent because he is tired of being bossed around and wants to set his own rules!
Q: How long is Runaway Ralph?
A: Runaway Ralph is around 224 pages, depending on the publication.
Don’t Miss Out On The Rest Of Ralph The Mouse Books, Check Our Our Guide To The Trilogy Here!
