The Ralph Wiggum Book (Simpsons Library of Wisdom) [Hardcover]

Matt Groening (Author)

Book Description

Series: Simpsons Library of Wisdom | Publication Date: October 25, 2005

The Ralph Wiggum Book is an all–new book from the new series: The Simpsons Library of Wisdom.

There's more to Ralph than meets the eye. He might be that kid you feel like pointing towards and laughing at, but Ralph Wiggum has a 'special' way of disarming you with his completely off–kilter statements that always have the ring of truth about them. See the world through Ralph–coloured glasses as he muses on household pets, poetry, constellations, homemade gifts, hiding spots, sports, school, right and wrong, crime and punishment, love, leprechauns, wookies, wiggle puppies and a lot more non–booger and paste–related subjects.

So don't just stand there with your finger up your nose . pick a winner with The Ralph Wiggum Book.

In The Simpsons Library of Wisdom, Matt Groening, the creator of 'The Simpsons', offers an ongoing series of portable and quotable books that will eliminate the need for all religions and philosophies, exalt man's role in the universe and make the world a better place ... sort of. No other television show in history has commented so freely and so humorously on modern times, and there seems to be no end in sight for the sharp satire and pointed parody that 'The Simpsons' serves up every night of the week all around the world.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Matt Groening, the creator and executive producer of the Emmy^® Award-winning series The Simpsons, as well as creator of the cartoon strip "Life in Hell" and the animated FOX television series Futurama, is the man responsible for bringing animation back to primetime and creating an immortal nuclear family. In addition, Groening formed Bongo Comics Group in 1993 and currently serves as publisher of The Simpsons Library of Wisdom, Simpsons Episode Guides, Simpsons Comics, Bart Simpson Comics, Radioactive Man Comics, Simpsons Comics Treasure Trove, the annual Bart Simpson's Treehouse of Horror, Futurama Comics and more than 36 comic compilations, as well as many instant classics including Bart Simpsons Guide to Life, The Simpsons Handbook and The Simpsons Uncensored Family Album.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: Harper Design (October 25, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060748206
• ISBN-13: 978-0060748203
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 5.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #185,578 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #13 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Arts & Photography > Graphic Design > Cartooning
  • #24 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Entertainment > Humor > Jokes & Riddles
  • #67 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Entertainment > Humor > Satire, General

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very funny, November 27, 2005

By 

Julie Sarnoff-Clark (Memphis, TN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ralph Wiggum Book (Simpsons Library of Wisdom) (Hardcover)

I read this book in about a half an hour. It includes many aspects of Ralph's life: a school field trip to the Springfield Airport (during which Ralph gets separated from the class and ends up on a plane to Paris), Ralph's top 40 list (includes Lisa Simpson twice and "putting stuff up my nose") and bottom 40 list (includes "the deep end of the sandbox" and "pointy kitties" [rats]). Ralph gives instructions for holiday crafts and gives advice a la Ann Landers. Also included is a progress report written by Ms. Hoover saying that improvement is needed in most areas as he has trouble adding and subtracting numbers above 16, that he "forgets how books work" and mentioned that he once tried to subtract on his hands by attempting to cut off his fingers. Poetry written by Ralph and his many moods are very funny.

There is a story about Wiggle Puppy that Ralph created, which is okay, but overall, it's a great book. Throughout most of the book, I was laughing so hard I was crying.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Me fail English? That's unpossible!, January 5, 2007

By 

Evan Montgomery (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ralph Wiggum Book (Simpsons Library of Wisdom) (Hardcover)

Ralph is my favorite of the minor characters that appear on "The Simpsons". This book is absolutely hilarious. It really captures the essence of Ralph and his happy-go-lucky, slightly clueless manner of meandering through life.

It's a short book, but it's extremely entertaining and I would definitely recommend it if you like Ralph Wiggum or the Simpsons.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Ralph's a Great Character But Whoever Wrote This Hasn't Watched the Simpsons in Years, if Ever and Quickly Ran Out of Material, March 19, 2008

By 

James N Simpson (Gold Coast, QLD Australia) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Ralph Wiggum Book (Simpsons Library of Wisdom) (Hardcover)

The Ralph Wiggum Book is one in a number of different Springfield character books under the broader Simpson's Library of Wisdom collection including Simpson's family characters like The Homer Book, The Bart Book. Frequent characters like Flanders' Book of Faith:, The Book of Moe: as well as minor ones such as Comic Book Guy's Book of Pop Culture make up this ever increasing in volume series.

Ralph would definitely be one of my favourite Springfield characters so naturally this was the first of these I decided to get. No doubt Ralph has the best and funniest lines on the show. However those lines usually come from an observation of other characters actions, where he's a voice in a crowd of comments or where he's interacting with someone. So does a whole book pretty much just about Ralph with only the seldom interaction with other characters work? Well, yes and no.

The book does have funny lines in it and you do get to see more of Ralph's private life so to speak such as his room, backyard, school report card and so on. However a lot of the material in this book is something that is from a one off single episode and the author has now given Ralph this thing as a character trait. Such as the Valentine's day card episode thinking Lisa's I Choo Choo Choose You card meant he was going to marry her when he grew up being turned into Ralph now still being in love with her. For example she appears twice in his top 40 list of things, even though he has expressed no love for her since that episode and has in fact in some episodes expressed the opposite such as one where Lisa was acting selfish and stupid with Ralph in the background telling her I Can't Believe I Used to Date You. It's almost like someone who watched the old episodes as a kid but hasn't since anything since found out they were writing these books and said I'll have a go. Also it seems they never decided what they wanted Ralph to be with the everyday intelligence level Ralph we see in the episodes displayed at times but also included is a complicated short story by Ralph about flying wiggle puppy called Sniffing Up Some Safety. I doubt Ralph could write this when he fails to write even simple words in class.

Should you check out this book? Yes but emphasis on the words check out, ie check it out from your library first before forking over money for it.