Her characters, including Beezus and Ramona Quimby, Henry Huggins, and Ralph, the motorcycle-riding mouse, have delighted children for generations. Henshaw won the Newbery Medal, and Ramona Quimby, Age 8 and Ramona and Her Father have been named Newbery Honor Books. Cleary's books have earned her many prestigious awards, including the American Library Association's Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, presented to her in recognition of her lasting contribution to children's literature. And so, the Klickitat Street gang was born!

She based her funny stories on her own neighborhood experiences and the sort of children she knew. When a young boy asked her, 'Where are the books about kids like us?' she remembered her teacher's encouragement and was inspired to write the books she'd longed to read but couldn't find when she was younger. Before long, her school librarian was saying that she should write children's books when she grew up. But by third grade, after spending much time in her public library in Portland, Oregon, she found her skills had greatly improved. As a child, she struggled with reading and writing. Mouse, all inspired by the author's hope to create appealing books for boys and girls-and by the sight of her son playing with toy cars.īeverly Cleary is one of America's most beloved authors. This fun story is the first of a trilogy, along with Runaway Ralph and Ralph S.

The Mouse and the Motorcycle is perfect for independent reading or for shared reading at home or in a classroom. This timeless classic now features a foreword written by New York Times bestselling author Kate DiCamillo, as well as an exclusive interview with Beverly Cleary herself. Whether dodging a rowdy terrier or keeping his nosy cousins away from his new wheels, Ralph has a lot going on! And with a pal like Keith always looking out for him, there's nothing this little mouse can't handle. But with all this freedom (and speed!) come a lot of obstacles. So when Keith leaves the bike unattended in his room one day, Ralph makes his move. When the ever-curious Ralph spots Keith's red toy motorcycle, he vows to ride it. In this imaginative adventure from Newbery Medal–winning author Beverly Cleary, a young mouse named Ralph is thrown into a world of excitement when a boy and his shiny toy motorcycle check in to the Mountain View Inn.

The mouse and the motorcycle book