As an educator it is always a treat to discover new ways of tricking young students into learning things and that is what we have here with "Rotten Ralph Helps Out," the first volume to be A Rotten Ralph Rotten Reader. Written by Jack Gantos and illustrated by Nicole Rubel, the title has to do with Rotten Ralph's attempts, such as they are, to help young Sarah with her school project on ancient Egypt. At first, Rotten Ralph is dismissive of Sarah's enthusiasm, but then he learns that the ancient Egyptians were the first people to have cats for pets. Of course, Rotten Ralph's efforts to help tend to backfire, even when he is actually trying to do something for Sarah rather than just for himself. Still, in the end, Rotten Ralph is able to help out in the end.

What makes this book fun is that every little thing Sarah does, from dancing to shaking hands, has something to do with ancient Egypt. Gantos and Rubel work in about a dozen such factoids all within the context of the story (and Sarah's research). Rotten Ralph is news to me, although I have since learned he has been misbehaving in books for a quarter of a century and in now finding news ways of being bad in an animated series (in Greece, Rotten Ralph is known as Ralf o Kakomathimenos, a.k.a. Ralph the Badly Behaved). A book like "Rotten Ralph Helps Out" is the sort that would make a teacher of young students want to do a unit on the ancient Egyptians, even if they were not thinking of doing so. However, Kiara, my own cat, refrained from making any comments on this book whatsoever...

Jack Gantos' adorably mischievous feline, Rotten Ralph, is at it again! Sarah has a big project due for school about Ancient Egypt and she desperately wants Ralph to assist her. In typical Ralph fashion, however, Ralph wants to do anything but what his ever-so-patient "owner" Sarah wants him to do. Gantos uses the conversations between Sarah and Ralph to inform readers about various aspects of life and culture in Ancient Egypt, but does so in such a way that it doesn't come across as "teachy," but entertaining instead. From the fact that Ancient Egyptians regarded cats as super-special deities to the fact that Ancient Egyptians were the first to invent pancakes, the material presented in this new chapter-book approach from Gantos and Rubel will interest and appeal to children who are ready to graduate from the previous Rotten Ralph books to something they can manage on their own. Rubel's artwork is as charming as ever and Gantos' wit is matchless as Ralph takes on a whole new format of fun and frolic! Sooooooooo cool! A definite winner.

Rotten Ralph is at it again, as mean and self-serving as ever! Sarah is trying to do a school project on the ancient Egyptians and their culture. Ralph could not care less. UNTIL he realizes just how important all of this is to Sarah and how very much she wants his assistance (as well as how much interference he has run in tangling up all her plans!). Gantos takes the ever-lovable, but cantankerous, feline he has masterfully perfected in previous Rotten Ralph books and stepped up the pace to a chapter-book format. Gantos exposes readers to various interesting Egyptian facts throughout the course of the book without ever boring them or "beating" a lesson into them (i.e., Egyptians invented pancakes). Rubel's illustrations are as right-on as ever. Soooooo cool, Gantos! A real winner!

Conga Crocodile is a crocodile who loves to play the conga drums. He plays and plays and everyone around him hates his playing. He keeps on playing and disrupts many ocassions until one night, feeling very dejected he comes upon a salsa band looking for a conga player. This book has a very sly and humorous ending. It has illustrations that adults will love.

This richly illustrated Western retelling of "Cyrano de Bergerac" is fine fare for youngsters 3 to 9. Cyrano, in this scenario, is a sheriff with a somewhat large nose, and an even bigger crush on the belle of the town, Roxane, the sheepish (literally) librarian. Trouble is, Cyrano's deputy, Wolfie (yes, he's a wolf) has a thing for Roxane as well.

But that's not Cyrano's only problem: The Gila Monster Gang (umm, they're Gila Monsters) comes in a-shooting up and robbing the town. The story proceeds loosely along the lines of the original (with some action and sarsaparillas thrown in for Western authenticity) as the amorous but shy Cyrano writes poems for Roxane, signed by Wolfie. But, when the Gila Monster Gang threatens to rob the train at Purple Rock River, Cyrano (with the agility and power of a Kobe to Shaquille dunk) uses all his talents to capture the gang and win Roxane's heart.

I think Roxane puts it best: "Cyrano! Your great nose has taught you to be courageous, but your poetry has lassoed my heart!" Highly recommended!

Ruthie is very definite. "NO MORE VEGETABLES!" Her parents can't convince her to eat them. A trip to the pediatrician doesn't work, and even a school lesson about the food pyramid and the importance of eating a well balanced diet falls flat when Ruthie stands up and declares: "Give me a yucky carrot,/I'll feed it to the parrot./Offer me slimy beets/'I'll stomp them with my feets./A heap of green peas/only makes me sneeze./I was not born/to eat spinach and corn./No more vegetables!" Finally her parents give up. She doesn't have to eat any more vegetables, if she helps in the garden..... Nicole Rubel's humorous and witty text is only outdone by her bold, bright, and playful illustrations, filled with dazzling color and clever eye-catching detail. Together word and art offer a captivating picture book, with an amusing and satisfying ending, that is sure to delight and charm picky eaters everywhere. No More Vegetables! is a fun-filled and engaging preschool crowd pleaser, and who knows, it just might make eating vegetables more appealing to your little ones.

A well-crafted, haunting expose of drunken, fuzzy bears. In one sequence, a father bear helps his son build a rocket set, then demolishes it after drinking a six pack. All said, an excellent read.

As a child therapist, I have found the Rotten Ralph books to be very useful and popular among my clients. In Worse Than Rotten Ralph, we once again find Ralph, the amazingly painted red cat, being very, very bad. In this story, Ralph is challenged by some alley cats and goes on to prove that he can be just as rotten as they. Kids get a thrill out of seeing just what trouble Ralph and his friends will get into next. Some adults might fear that such mischief will encourage acting out among children, but I find that these stories actually help children externalize their own mischievous impulses. They can experience badness vicariously through Ralph and breathe a sigh of relief when Sarah, his owner, once again says, "I love you anyway." As an adult and a cat lover, I am endlessly entertained by the clever details hidden in each illustration. Even after reading this book over and over, I am still discovering new things.

Nicole has come up with another winner in her series of children books. In "Grody's Not So Golden Rules", values important for children to learn are presented in counter-example. By seeing the results of making poor value decisions, kids learn, as Grody learns, the true benefit of "golden rules". Written in an easy to read format and richly illustrated with Nicole's own unique style of artistry, this book can be enjoyed by a wide range of children.

Nicole Rubel once again displays her artistry and humor with Grody's not so Goden Rules. Grody is every parent's worst nightmare. Tired of his parents and sister constantly telling him what to do, he puts together his own "rules" and reaps what he has sewn with hilarious and apt results.
Thankfully, his last rule is not to follow his rules. Grody learns his lesson and readers will laugh and learn with him.
Rubel ventures into a new realm artistically with Grody. She uses ink, markers, colored pencils, watercolors and strategic splashes of collage. The result is wonderful, with each page a treasure hunt to find the various collage pieces. My personal favorites are the orange fuzzy slippers. With this book, Nicole Rubel offers children and parents a visual bouquet and a zany new character to love. Grody is a hit.

Grody rules! We laughed the whole way through this book. The story shows you how not to be and the pictures kept us all looking for new things to find. It's a new favorite in our house!

Rotten Ralph is Sarah's bad, bad cat, and she loves him. Her parents tolerate him...until the unforgivable. Ralph ends up on his own, cold, lonely and miserable, and regretting his evil ways. Most of the time.

Extreme, crazy, and a little more than rotten sometimes. The drawings aren't traditional, which makes "Rotten Ralph" even more fun for kids to read and look at.

Ralph is a very bad kitty, as is generally what cats thrive on being. He is often rude, knocks things over, disrupts social occasions, makes sport of preying on pet birds, fish or rodents, and purposely exacerbates the one annoying, albeit universally inherent, trait in dogs: obnoxiousness. After one especially horrid, feline-induced fiasco at the circus, Sarah's father determines that he's had enough of Ralph and gives him the boot. Ralph's consequential homeless journey thus necessitates him a good look inwardly, seeking the key to whatever could possibly save him from being lost forever to his comfortable home and family...

Not so very many years ago, I had the very great pleasure of reading over and over and over, and over immeasurable, this fine tale of haphazardness, naughtiness, chastisement, and redemption. So I'll now tell you a little tale of my own - a personal pathway, of sorts, toward eminent endearment of this sweet little book:

Several years ago, a little child went with her mother and father to a book signing in downtown Chicago. The name of the book escapes me now, but alas, it's irrelevant to this story. John Lydon ("Johnny Rotten" of Sex Pistols fame) was doing the signing for some newly published writing affair at a trendy north side bookstore. As Mr. Rotten has always had a great dedicated following, the line for this book, to be graced with his signature, was immensely long. The little girl, wearing a pink winter coat and purple ribbons in her hair, was the only child present in a snaking line omnipresent in the aisles throughout with multiply tattooed and body-pierced fans. Yet she was neither intimidated nor gainsaid as she quietly recited her favorite nursery rhymes, picking up to browse each prettily covered book she saw. She was ever patient, and even after over an hour of waiting would smile sweetly to strangers' questions and comments as she held onto her mother's hand.

Finally, after what seemed like an infinitesimal wait, she and her parents reached the front portion of the line. Then, all hearts fell as the gentleman just ahead of her family, a tall thin young man with long silky black & blue-streaked hair and an earring was told the featured book had just sold out - that there were absolutely no more copies. Dejected and deflated, all those remaining in the line began to take their leave.

This little girl, however, would have nothing of it. "But we came here for a book!" she cried loud enough for anyone in the store to hear, "I want that book!" Before either of her parents could chastise her for this outburst, Mr. Rotten spoke up with that beautifully enunciated British accent he has, and said, "You want a book? I'm sorry...uh, but we...Wait - This child wants a book! - Oh yes, never fear, little one; I will get you a book." A consummate gentleman, he merely snapped his fingers to one of his assistants and pointed to a nearby display at the edge of the children's section, and said, "I want to give her that book."

ROTTEN RALPH was the chosen book's title. My daughter's copy is signed by Johnny Rotten, the inside jacket adorned with a Polaroid photo taken of herself, her new book, and the kindest punk rock star on earth. Truly, upon many a night for perhaps the next two years that followed, ROTTEN RALPH was included in our nightly ritual of bedtime stories. And though our cat George was often annoyed that he was forced to sit, listen and learn, neither my girl nor I ever tired of reading it.

This book is hilarious. The bathos of Ralph's predicament is devastatingly funny. He deserves everything he gets. During one scene, the author slips in a perhaps unconscious homage to the famous nose episode of the Brady Bunch, when the owner of a dog is heard to exclaim "my dog!"

Q: What do Mummies eat for breakfast? A: Shrouded wheat.

This is just one of the grossly gruesome gags you'll encounter in this compendium of mummy humor. The riddles rely heavily on puns and slightly on a working knowledge of ancient Egyptian burial practices.

The illustrations are large, bright and cartoony with lots of clever details that kids will love to pore over. They'll also love committing these riddles to memory and trying them out on parents during a long car trip.

Q: What did the doctor tell the little mummy at her checkup? A: You grue-some!

Get it? Bwa ha ha ha ha.

haha! this book is sooo funnie. I recomend this book to third graders because i read it to my little third grade brother. He was in stiches he was laughing so much. Even my sixth grade teacher was laughing. I think this is my favorite picture book of all time.