Practice Makes Perfect for Rotten Ralph (Rotten Ralph Rotten Readers Series)

by Jack Gantos, Nicole Rubel (Illustrator)

Overview

When the carnival comes to town, the world's favorite fractious feline discovers the hilariously wrong way to victory before he gets it right.

"Illustrated with Rubel's deadpan pictures, this is a prize for newly independent readers, for whom ‘practice makes perfect' indeed." —The Horn Book Guide

"Ralph has his own special niche in the world of children's literature, and now on the easy-reader shelves, too." —Kirkus Reviews*

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780374400026
Publisher:	Square Fish
Publication date:	10/13/2009
Series:	Rotten Ralph Rotten Readers , #2
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	120,075
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.30(h) x 0.30(d)
Lexile:	580L (what's this?)
Age Range:	6 - 8 Years

About the Author

Jack Gantos and Nicole Rubel published their first book, Rotten Ralph, in 1976. They launched the Rotten Ralph Readers in 2001 with Rotten Ralph Helps Out.

In addition to the Rotten Ralph books, Jack Gantos is the author of Hole in My Life, a memoir that won the Michael L. Printz and Robert F. Sibert Honors, Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key, a National Book Award Finalist, and Joey Pigza Loses Control, a Newbery Honor book. He lives with his family in Boston, Massachusetts.

Nicole Rubel's many books include Twice as Nice: What It's Like to Be a Twin and Grody's Not So Golden Rules. She lives in Aurora, Oregon.

Editorial Reviews

Several stars of early readers return for more adventures. Let loose at the carnival, the star of Practice Makes Perfect for Rotten Ralph by Jack Gantos, illus. by Nicole Rubel, tries to outplay Cousin Percy and impress Sarah, his owner. The hero resorts to cheating, but, by the end of this Rotten Ralph Rotten Reader, he repents, returns his ill-gotten booty and wins a prize the right way. (Mar.) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

PreS-Gr 2-Themes of jealousy, boasting, cheating, and getting one's comeuppance are all touched on in this second book in the easy-reader series. When the carnival comes to town, Sarah, Ralph, and his cousin Percy are excited to attend. Percy has been practicing his skills so that he can win prizes, and win he does, much to Ralph's chagrin. The feline's jealousy and frustration lead him to gather prizes through unorthodox (and unethical) means until Sarah makes him do the right thing. The four-chapter adventure is illustrated with the familiar, brightly colored pictures that Rotten Ralph's fans have enjoyed for years. Though he is a troublesome cat, readers know that somehow he will learn a lesson and that Sarah will love him no matter what. An enjoyable addition to any beginning-reader collection.-Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

School Library Journal

Gantos brings back that rascally red Rotten Ralph for the second entry in the Rotten Ralph Rotten Readers series (Rotten Ralph Helps Out, 2001). This time, the irrepressible, irresponsible Ralph and his owner, Sally, are joined by Ralph's tiger-striped, supremely confident cousin Percy for a trip to a carnival and its midway full of familiar games of chance. To Rotten Ralph's chagrin, the perfect Percy wins all the carnival games (he practiced), and Ralph finally resorts to cheating so he can win some prizes, too. Ralph gets his comeuppance, of course, as he always does, and he has to return his ill-gotten gains and suffer some mild consequences before finally winning the last game of the day fair and square. (And guess who ends up in the dunk tank.) Gantos has a winning formula with this transitional easy reader series: a funny, somewhat "naughty" character; amusing art in a recognizable style; and a worthwhile little lesson that both kids and adults will appreciate. (This is just the title to recommend to teachers who want a story that will nip cheating in the bud.) Though this plot is not as innovative as the first entry in the series, Ralph has his own special niche in the world of children's literature, and now on the easy-reader shelves, too. And of course, he'll be back for more of these delightful readers-because practice makes perfect. (Easy reader. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews

"Themes of jealousy, boasting, cheating, and getting one's comeuppance are all touched on in this second book in the easy-reader series." —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

Children love Rotten Ralph because he’s so naughty. In this story the cat and his superior cousin, Percy, attend a fair, where Ralph discovers that although practice is boring, those who practice do better, and those who are above such trivial matters do worse. Author Gantos takes great pleasure in reading his own story, and, though his characters’ voices all sound a bit similar, their zesty, telling dialogue distinguishes them quite well. Listeners will enjoy the bright cartoon illustrations of the accompanying book. An added attraction is the festive carnival music that weaves in and out of the production, along with sound effects that suggest the fun of different fairground games. J.C.G. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine

AUG/SEP 07 - AudioFile