Rude Ramsay and the Roaring Radishes [Hardcover]

Margaret Atwood (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 4, 2005

In this fantastic and funny picture book Margaret Atwood offers a deliciously ridiculous tale about the virtues of resisting restrictions. Rude Ramsay has reached the end of his rope! Sick of eating rock-hard rice, wrinkled ravioli, and raw rhinoceros, Ramsay and Ralph the red-nosed rat resolve to leave their rectangular residence in a quest for more refreshing repast and to prove that the grass really is greener on the other side of the fence. With lots of 'r's' to help the story roll along, Margaret Atwood's rollicking text, combined with Dusan Petricic's lively art, make this book a real treat for Margaret Atwood fans, old and new.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3–"Rude Ramsay resided in a ramshackle rectangular residence with a roof garden, a root cellar, and a revolving door." So begins this nonsensical, alliterative romp. The renowned Canadian writer's command of wordplay is impressive, and unfamiliar words (rhapsodic, rigor mortis, rubicund) may afford youngsters an opportunity for vocabulary enrichment. Nevertheless, the conceit totally overwhelms the strained and far-fetched plot involving Rude Ramsay (who isn't really rude) running away with a rat and encountering a field of rabid radishes and a rich girl named Rillah. Subtly toned, sophisticated illustrations mirror the frenetic pace of the slightly unpleasant text, though some spreads, notably the scene of the rabid radishes, exhibit a clever and humorous design. Overall, however, consider this a rather wretched effort.–Caroline Ward, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Margaret Atwood cleverly spins an engaging yarn This romping exercise in clever, tongue-twisting wordplay is a lot of fun, and the illustrations by Dusan Petricic are a riot" Orlando Sentinel, September 2004 "In lesser hands such an alliteration might prove redundant, but Atwood's prose is both amusing and enlightening in its use of rich vocabulary, with phrases such as "rumpled rucksack," "raggedy ravens" and "rancid remnants of reeking rhinoceros." Kirkus Reviews Aug 2004 --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Childrens Books (April 4, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0747572925
• ISBN-13: 978-0747572923
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 9.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,152,361 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

MARGARET ATWOOD, whose work has been published in over thirty-five countries, is the author of more than forty books of fiction, poetry, and critical essays. In addition to The Handmaid's Tale, her novels include Cat's Eye, shortlisted for the Booker Prize; Alias Grace, which won the Giller Prize in Canada and the Premio Mondello in Italy; The Blind Assassin, winner of the 2000 Booker Prize; and her most recent, Oryx and Crake, shortlisted for the 2003 Booker Prize. She lives in Toronto with writer Graeme Gibson.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars R YOU READY FOR A LAUGH PROVOKING STORY?, October 11, 2004

By 

Gail Cooke (TX, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rude Ramsay and the Roaring Radishes (Hardcover)

Booker Prize winner Margaret Atwood certainly needs to introduction to readers - young or old. In addition to her bestsellers, the latest being Oryx and Crake, she has penned four other children's books.

This time out she has more fun than most can imagine with the letter R. There was a fellow named Rude Ramsay who "resided in a ramshackle rectangular residence with a roof garden, a root-cellar, and a revolving door." He had a passel of revolting relatives named Ron, Rollo, and Ruby.

Ramsay did have one friend, "Ralph the red-nosed rat." When living with his kin became too much for Ramsay, Ralph suggested he move on, so he followed Ralph to a field of raspberry bushes and radishes. However, Rillah, the owner of the radish field doesn't take too kindly to Ramsay pilfering her radishes. She's a pretty miss who once was wealthy but is now down on hr luck.

As in all good stories, there's a happy ending here for Ramsay, Ralph, and Rillah. Dusan Petricic's outrageously funny illustrations are a joy to behold. Just try reading this without bursting into laughter.

- Gail Cooke

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful entertainment, August 24, 2005

By 

C. Violette (Weinheim, Germany) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rude Ramsay and the Roaring Radishes (Hardcover)

My 6 months old son listened intently to the rymes of the text. His eyes became big when I pointed out individual characters or objects of the colourful illustrations in this book. I was amazed how this book kept my son's undivided attention from front to back cover. As an adult however, I have to admit the story-line suffers in an attempt to make the words rhyme.