From School Library Journal
Grade 1-3–Rotten Ralph has his eye on the prize: the coveted Best in Show cup at the cat show, but his cousin has entered the competition, too. Ralph knows his chances are next to nil against Perfect Percy, the overachieving orange tabby who even has his own cheering squad. When Sarah tries to whip the rascally red feline into shape, it's a little bit
Rocky, a little bit
My Fair Lady, and none of it really seems to do Ralph a bit of good. He comes to realize that he can never become the sort of cat who recites A Tale of Two Kitties by rote: One was the best of kitties./The other was the worst of kitties…. What Ralph does best is to be his own rotten self. This fourth Rotten Ralph Rotten Reader is every bit as lively and entertaining as the previous books. Rubel's wonderfully wonky and bright color illustrations add character expression and humor. Gantos gives kids everything they want in an early reader: a plotline with plenty of laughs, interesting characters, and a manageable reading experience. Divided into four short chapters, this story is perfect for beginning readers who are itching for, but not quite ready to make, the transition to lengthier chapter books.
–Carol L. MacKay, Camrose Public Library, Alberta, Canada Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Gr. 1-3. In the fourth installment of the popular Rotten Ralph Rotten Reader series, bad Ralph wants to beat his smarmy cousin Percy in the cat show, so he lets Sarah help him get in shape. She drags him off the couch ("It is so sad when a cat has gone to the dogs") and makes him do push-ups and sit-ups. One very funny picture shows him entangled on the floor after trying to jump rope. On the day of the contest, even though his whiskers are waxed and his posture is proper, he can't compete with Percy's fancy pedigree and skills. OK, Percy wins the prize, but Ralph gets a huge trophy for being the Worst at Being Best, and like the contest judges, new readers will be won over by the hilarious antics of the individual who stays true to his irrepressible self.
Hazel RochmanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
