Another fun and nostalgic re-read for me. I have very fond memories of reading this book when I was a kid. Now I have the pleasure of reading it out loud to my kids. I could not be happier in reporting that they loved it, too!

This book is a timeless modern classic that is perfect for kids. Even though my son is still learning to read, he loved listening to the escapades of Ralph S. Mouse. And, because he loved it, I hope it promotes his interest in reading books as he gets more comfortable.

There are a few things here I think may start to get lost on kids as we move farther and farther away from the era it was written in. There are mentions of ashtrays in the hallways, the descriptions of the hotel are of a more classic, early 20th century style, etc. But it is not enough to distract, it just could require some extra explanations – I know my kids were raising their hands with questions throughout!

Whether you are reading this to your kids, reading it for the first time as a child (probably not a lot of those will be reading my Goodreads review!), or just discovering it for the first time on your own as an adult, there is a good chance you are going to find something you love with Ralph Pb-pb-b-b-b-ing up and down the hallway on his motorcycle searching for adventure.

A fun adventure, no matter how old you are.

Well, I'm only a few pages in and I already know why I loved this and read & reread it as a child. It's not just the cleverness of the miniature, as in The Borrowers, Thumbelina, etc. It's also the 'alien perspective' which is one the reasons I read SF. The old motel is a "dreadful old barn" that is also "charming and quaint" depending on one's pov. Keith would love to see mice, his parents wouldn't. Messy children "considerately" spill crumbs for mice.

Empathy and wisdom are often developed best by reading the stories of those who have different perspectives than the reader does.

Almost rounded up to five stars. I do heartily recommend this warm-hearted adventure story to every child.

A childhood favorite revisited. It's a simple story, free of extraneous threads and unneeded distractions, and portrays its characters in small scenes that give the reader enough space to let his imagination wander. Maybe I'm a cynic, but a tale this direct would probably have a hard time being published now.

A childhood favorite that was so fun to revisit with Judson!

This story about a mouse and a boy (and a toy motorcycle) is from the 1965 list of My Big Fat Reading Project.

I'll tell you one thing. If you are feeling overwhelmed by the state of the world, just read anything by Beverly Cleary. I read this in a couple hours and was swept away from all my negative thoughts into a world where a small boy and a mouse can communicate, have adventures, build trust, and learn those necessary lessons required to navigate through it all.

Fun read with my 3rd grade friends! We love Ralph!

This is a good book for kids and parents too. It engages kids imagination. My son liked the motorcycle and the adventure. We read this book together althought mostly he read it to me and it had good vocabulary and a pretty good pace. He is a first grader but reads at third grade level and it was a good level for him. We are both ready to read the second one. He hopes the second one is similar to this one.

Read this aloud to the kids and they loved it. Remember just loving this when I was a kid as well . . . but wasn't as interested as an adult as I thought I would be (hence only 4 stars). Do love the quaint nature of the story and characters and wish more current chapter books for kids were written like this instead of featuring street smart kids from dysfunctional families. Childhood should be a time to be immersed books like Charlotte's Web, Homer Price, and Mouse and the Motorcycle. Loved that my library copy was the 1965 edition and had the lovely library book smell. Maybe I should add that fifth star for the trip back to my childhood this book gave me . . .

Read to Rose. We both loved it!

I remember reading this as a child as well as every other Beverly Cleary book I could find. I couldn't tell you the details of the story but I have many fond memories of these books.

We absolutely loved The Mouse and the Motorcycle! I expected the boys would enjoy it (what a neat concept!) but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It's far more than just a fun romp or adventure story about a motorcycle-riding mouse (though it definitely is that). I loved the sensitive and thoughtful insights into the young mind... that longing to be "grown-up" (but not really understanding what responsibility comes with that... though there is a hint of awakening to that the end of the book which is really poignant and lovely). The anxiety of the mother mouse and the tug-of-war with her more daring son. Dealing with "the other" (the humans largely disliking and distrusting mice, the mice feeling the same about the humans... yet a few rare souls on both sides reaching across the divide with curiosity and friendship). Ralph is a really likable hero who is just reckless enough for big adventure and getting into scrapes without being completely insensitive to the feelings or needs of others. I love Keith (the little boy who gives him the motorcycle). He is one of my favorite storybook little boys, probably because he reminds me a lot of my own. I love the exuberant "boyishness" (that scene with the cars on the bed is SO perfect!) yet also love that the "boyishness" doesn't revolve around rude humor or violence... love that he is sensitive, gentle and generous with Ralph. He's a great kid but also feels very real and isn't perfect. Some of the descriptions in the book are just beautiful. I so enjoyed the setting (I grew up in the Sierra Nevada foothills). A few bits date it (the ashtray that Ralph hides behind, for example, and aspirin for children's fevers is no longer recommended) but overall I don't see anything that would preclude contemporary children from enjoying it. The peril is generally mild (will Ralph get sucked up by the vacuum hose when the maid is cleaning the room!?) though my son wanted me to point out that it IS dramatic in places and some sensitive children might be disturbed by a few bits (such as talking about the father mouse who was poisoned by pilfering an aspirin; or the threat of the owls should any mice venture outside). All in all, we loved it and it was fun reading it when we did so near to 4th of July (which is when the story takes place, though there is, unfortunately, no celebration it's just spoken of as the "holiday weekend" and the reason Ralph's father wants to hold up at the old motel for a few days to avoid all the traffic). Oldest is eager to read the second in the series.