FICTION

Three Strikes for Rotten Ralph

by Jack GANTOS
978-0-37436-354-3.
COPY ISBN
Gr 1—3—Rotten Ralph has his future planned out. He's designed his own baseball card, embellished his uniform with the words Superstar #1, and practiced how he'll sign autographs and give interviews with the media. He hasn't worked on his hitting, throwing, or running skills though. After tryouts, Ralph's owner, Sarah, makes the team, but Ralph is designated the new "cat boy." His duties include washing socks and sweeping the dugout. During the season, he is given different responsibilities, but his dreams of stardom never materialize. Ralph's antics on and off the baseball field may seem rotten to some, but he manages to remain a superstar in Sarah's eyes. There is never a dull moment in this colorful and appealing early reader.—Tanya Boudreau, Cold Lake Public Library, AB, Canada
Ralph spends more time dreaming of glory than practicing, so instead of earning a spot on the baseball team, he's given the job of "cat boy." In true Rotten Ralph spirit, the story's message never gets too message-y, thanks largely to impish embellishments--as when Ralph spits in all the players' new gloves to soften them--in both art and text.
Reviewed by Tanya Boudreau , Jan 01, 2011

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