Mouse buddy + toy motorcycle = Awesome!

A kids classic. Such a fun story, and a period piece when you consider some of the things. I like the themes of bravery and humility, compassion and generosity. Man I wish these were still important concepts in today’s literature. We will definitely read again. Onto the rest of the series!

When I read The Mouse and the Motorcycle in kindergarten, it was instantly my favorite book ever. It was one of the first novels I read by myself, and it was certainly the one that made me fall in love with reading. I remember writing a report on it, an entire paragraph of plot synopsis with a thesis statement of “I liked The Mouse and the Motorcycle,” probably. I also remember dressing up as Ralph for a class assignment, in a costume complete with a helmet and a long brown tail. I continued on to read the other two books in the series zealously. When I finally finished the third one, I was told that there were no more stories about Ralph S. Mouse, and that I would have to choose a different series to read. My six-year-old self was heartbroken, and I bawled to my parents, “I can’t pick another book! I will never love another book again!” True story.

I’ve adored this book since childhood and loved reading it aloud to my 4yo. “That mouse is funny” was a repeated refrain and he was thrilled that Ralph loved peanut butter sandwiches as much as he does. Classic!

What a fun book! I read this aloud to my four and two-year old sons. While it didn't hold my two-year-old's attention quite as much as I'd hoped, my four-year-old was completely mesmerized and wanted me to read chapter after chapter. He's already ecstatic about starting the second book. I love that this book captures the whimsy and innocence of a child's imagination so well.

Read this to my second grade class and we all loved it. A classic

Read it out loud to my 4 and 6 year old. It was okay. I remember it being better. There isn't really as much about the motorcycle as I remember.

(these early juvenile books are not my favorite. I need to find some better ones.)

My first attempt at an audio book in the car with the kiddos… not sure how much they listened but I listened and loved it

Listened as an audio book with my son. I can’t believe I haven’t read any of the Ralph books yet. I truly enjoyed this one, and loved that the characters are not perfect, they make mistakes, but demonstrate how to own up to them and apologize. A cute adventure following an even cuter mouse and the boy he befriends.

This is a Beverly Cleary book so you know it is excellent, but this book is in a whole other league from Ramona and Henry because of the fantasy aspect. We have ALL played with cars/motorcycles/etc at one point in our lives, and haven't we all daydreamed of the vehicles magically propelling themselves? With a passenger?
Also typing this it just occurred to me that had Ralph met up with Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, perhaps the outcome would have been different? Then again the Rats of NIMH harnessed the power of electricity whereas the motorcycle is powered by well, I won't give that away, you'll have to read it!
RODENT POWER!

Fun book! My older kids (6 and 3) were really engaged with the story. Ralph and Keith’s friendship is sweet to watch unfold. Creative and fun story!

Original review (June 7, 2011):

I really miss the days when I used to regularly read to my children. They are all grown now -- the youngest is 17. But Beverly Cleary was one of my kids' favorite authors, and mine too. So, being in a nostalgic mood one day I decided to pick up and read one of her books that I had not yet read. The Mouse and the Motorcycle just never really appealed that much to me or to my kids because we tend to like stories about real, or at least realistic, people, not so much animals that can talk and ride motorcycles, etc. But, it was worth a shot, and it wasn't too bad, but definitely not one of Cleary's best.

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Update (December 6, 2022):

My second reading of this book – this time in Spanish as part of my daily practice of my second language.