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The Mouse and the Motorcycle
The Mouse and the Motorcycle
The Mouse and the Motorcycle
Audiobook2 hours

The Mouse and the Motorcycle

Written by Beverly Cleary

Narrated by B. D. Wong

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

4.5/5

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About this audiobook

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.

When the ever-curious Ralph spots Keith's red toy motorcycle, he vows to ride it. So when Keith leaves the bike unattended in his room one day, Ralph makes his move. But with all this freedom (and speed!) come a lot of obstacles. 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.

This fun story is the first of a trilogy, along with Runaway Ralph and Ralph S. 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.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherHarperCollins
Release dateJan 23, 2007
ISBN9780061373763
Author

Beverly Cleary

Beverly Cleary is one of America's most beloved authors. As a child, she struggled with reading and writing. But by third grade, after spending much time in her public library in Portland, Oregon, she found her skills had greatly improved. Before long, her school librarian was saying that she should write children's books when she grew up. Instead she became a librarian. 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. She based her funny stories on her own neighborhood experiences and the sort of children she knew. And so, the Klickitat Street gang was born! Mrs. 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. Dear Mr. Henshaw won the Newbery Medal, and Ramona Quimby, Age 8 and Ramona and Her Father have been named Newbery Honor Books. Her characters, including Beezus and Ramona Quimby, Henry Huggins, and Ralph, the motorcycle-riding mouse, have delighted children for generations.

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Reviews for The Mouse and the Motorcycle

Rating: 4.469879518072289 out of 5 stars
4.5/5

166 ratings45 reviews

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Super cute book! Read this to my four-year old son over the course of a week or two. He loved it and wants to continue reading the adventures of Ralph in future volumes.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The Mouse and the Motorcycle is about a mouse named Ralph, his friend Keith, and Keith's motorcycle. The tale encompasses many adventures. The main theme of this book is friendship, and the lengths some will go to for a friend. This is a great book to use when teaching children valuable lessons on meeting new friends, and moving away from good friends. I would suggest this book to children in 3rd grade and up.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Sweet and silly, I love that the motorcycle goes when the noise is made.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Simple and sweet, this book tells the fun story of a mouse and a boy that share a love for a motorcycle. It's written simply enough for a child to read, but is fun to read aloud as well. There were some things that definitely dated the book, but nothing that made it unapproachable. It rather lent to it's charm.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    It is a battle of the Books book I loved it!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I read this book, or it was read to me, in the 1970's. I have fond memories of it. This time was Ok, but it is one of those books that should have been left alone. It wasn't one of those books that have a layer that can be enjoyed by adults, but also children. It had a morale, and was an ok book, but the book did not have the magical effect it had on me when i read it as a child.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I think this book was OK. I think boys would like it more than girls and it would be suitable for grades 4-6. I would use this book in lessons on plot and climax because of the major events that take place in the story. I think kids may like this book because it is cute and has a happy ending.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This was filled with exciting adventure overflowing with so much excitment I did not want to put this book down for any reason what so ever. I reccomend this book to anyone.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Beverly Cleary has a way of reaching into the minds of children and making the imagination become real. I do not remember how many times my boys have requested reading this book, but they laugh every time.

    The idea of a mouse riding a toy motorcycle gives hope to any boy's imagination that anything is possible---maybe even permission for them to ride one some day.

    Beverly weaves growing up with its responsibilities with the abandonment of childhood play to give hope to children who wonder if they are normal when they are careless one minute but brave and responsible the next.

    Always a joy to hear my boys laugh.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Pleasant, quick reading about two friends, a boy and a mouse, who meet intside the hotel room where the mouse, Ralph, lives. Able to communicate, they make plans to share the boy's, (Keith) favorite toy, a mouse-sized motorcylce. All kinds of adventures ensue when Ralph's inexperience gets him and the motorcycle intwined with laundry going downstairs. In addition to the boy and the mouse, the wellfare of the entire mouse community is called into question when Keith's mother reports the presence of mice to the management!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I persanly think that this book is a good book for someone in lower grades,but besides that I think that this book is a good caring book for kids and friends.This book shows how friendships come together even though one is diffrent than the other.If you would like to read a good friendly book,here is the right book for you! If you have read this book and liked it you can read more about Ralph and his adventers in the 2nd book " Runaway Ralph
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I bought a ton of Cleary books in a fit of nostalgia a while back, inspired by love of Ramona and classic children's books. Then I put them all on the shelf and read, oh, maybe one of them. Hello, my name is Nicole, and I am an addict.Inspired by this challenge, I pulled one off of those dusty shelves, one that I should have read long ago - The Mouse and the Motorcycle. It's a simple story, about a boy that leaves his toy motorcycle out, the mouse who wants to ride it, and the friendship they form. Ralph, the mouse, is a wonderful character of spunk, and Keith, the boy, is full of imagination and belief. In their world, it's not at all surprising that a toy motorcycle can be made to run just by making the sounds that a real motorcycle should make, and it's equally unsurprising that a mouse can talk. Only children, and child-like adults, can see and know these things. What is strongest about this book is that Cleary so comprehensively captures a child's world. The dialogue, the innocence, the way the world can feel so big, the small acts of bravery. The plot is simple, fun, and a bit heroic; exactly right for young children. I enjoyed my swift read of this old standard.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Such a cute little story. My son loved having me read it to him. ?
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I just finished reading this to Ethan. We read it one chapter at a time and he might be young for this type of reading, but I think he got something out of it. He remembered the story from day to day, although some of the plot was probably lost to him at less then 3 years old. It helped that there was a motorcycle and other cool vehicles and hopefully he'll pick it up and read it again when he's older.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A really fun read!

    Ralph is a mouse who lives in a hotel. In fact he lives in a specific hotel room. He loves when families with young kids stay - they leave lots of crumbs. And older kids may not leave as many crumbs, but they leave higher quality options - half-eaten candy bars at the top of the list.

    The current guest in his room is too old for good crumbs, not old enough to leave half-eaten candy. But he has something else - a little toy motorcycle, just big enough for Ralph to ride.

    Ralph strikes up a friendship with the boy. They can understand each other because they both love motorcycles - which was kind've cute.

    They have some adventures with the motorcycle. But when the boy gets sick and needs an aspirin (and the boys parents can't find one because it's 1AM) Ralph drives off in the boy's toy ambulance on a wild adventure through the hotel to find an aspirin.

    A cute, fun book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I read this in elementary school. I remembered liking it, so I checked it out from the library to read to my daughter.

    We both thoroughly enjoyed this book. There are themes of growing up and responsibility, which is nice, but the best part is, of course, that Ralph rides a motorcycle.

    I love that the there's the line about how Ralph was proud that he was going to be the subject of a composition in a far off place like Ohio. (I would have quoted it, but the book is in my sleeping daughter's bedroom, and I make a policy of not going in there while she's sleeping unless it's incredibly important, like if I want to cuddle her a bit before she gets too big to cuddle.)

    My daughter has asked my husband and me to read the last five chapters to her over and over again, and then during the day, I find that she's got the book in the living room and is reading sections to herself and then acting them out.

    I knew that, given her parents, she was likely to grow up to be a reader, but it's very exciting to see it in action.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The adventures of a mouse and his motorcycle. One of my all-time favorites as a kid.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Another childhood book that I revisited via audiobook. The recording was fine with lots of character voices. Though the voices weren't exactly my cup of tea, they're appropriate for the audience.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is a great book for second and third grade children. It is a great animal fantasy book. It tells of Ralph S. Mouse living in an old inn where he comes to life and has many adventures. He also acquires a motorcycle and also a new friend that moves into the inn. We read all about their adventures and laugh and imagine. A great book for kids to make their imaginations go wild. I think back to reading this book when I was a child and look forward to reading it with my children.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I simply adore this book, The Mouse and the Motorcycle is a hilarious friendship story between a little boy and a mouse who lives in an old, run down hotel. The boy is staying at the hotel during a long weekend. Ralph the mouse learns to ride the boys motorcycle which thrills both of them. I love the way the author portrays the mouse who is funny and adventures. Beverly Cleary does a wonderful job with this comical action story. I have read most of her books. Her books just seem to come alive! Her language is sparkling and well written.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I'll admit I read this in like the second grade, so technically I'm not new to the book. But I read it again this semester and remembered why I loved it. The concept is brilliant, having your only real friend be something nobody else would go near and would in fact try to kill, is an excellent way of showing how lonely they both were. I think that really speaks to children that you can always find a friend, you just have to look somewhere unexpected. And of course the action packed scenes to get the aspirin were as thrilling as ever, especially as I couldn't remember how he did it. It was like reading it for the first time all over again.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    the book is way better I don't like this narrator.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I love this children's classic by Beverly Cleary. It's got a mouse and a motorcycle, what's not to like? I love the interaction between Keith and Ralph as two kindred souls found in two different species. This story shows true friendship and I loved watching Ralph grow up" in the story. I'm passing this one on to my students."
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This book is a great book for children, or even for teachers to read to children. It is about a mouse who watches people at the Mountain View Inn. A mouse named Ralph is steadily watching from a hole near the floor. Ralph cannot wait to get ahold of the toy motorcycle he spots in the room. The motorcycle fits him perfectly and he cannot wait to ride! After Keith meets the mouse they become best friends. Keith must keep Ralph a secret from his mother. Read to see what adventures Ralph and Keith go on!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I read this out loud to my kids because so many people have fond memories of it, though this was one I skipped in my own childhood. I found it...dull. Really dull. One of those kid books with no actual discernible plot: there's a mouse, he rides a motorcycle, he loses it, he finds it. That's...it. The kids were happy to listen to it, but they didn't clamor for it either. Meh. This ain't no Ramona.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A great children's book
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Cleary is an exceedingly imaginative author. Many authors have taken mice as the inspiration for a children's story, but Cleary's bests them all in inventive fun! When Keith and his family visit an old inn, a mouse, Ralph, becomes enthralled with the boy's toy motorcycle. Ralph gets into trouble, however, when the motorcycle gets lost in the laundry linens. To make matters worse, Keith gets sick and there's no medicine in the whole inn. When Ralph decides to take matters into his own hands, things go from bad to worse. Find out what happens in The Mouse and the Motorcycle.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Such a cute little story. My son loved having me read it to him. ?
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This is a cute little book, written for 8 years old and up, about a boy who takes his toy cars and "motorcycle" on vacation with him and his parents, and finds that his hotel room has mice. One particular mouse, Ralph, is especially drawn to the toy motorcycle. And, would you believe it -- the boy and the mouse are able to communicate with each other and become friends! Also, Ralph is able to make the motorcycle run just by making motorcycle sounds ;)Of course, there is a dramatic and climactic part close to the end where the boy becomes ill and Ralph must scour the hotel for an aspirin to help break the boy's fever, since there isn't an aspirin to be had withing 25 miles. And you guessed it, Ralph finds an aspirin (on the floor), delivers it to the boy, who gets better, and we all lived happily ever after! It really is cute. If you have a young child, you should read it to them or better yet, have them read it to you! Enjoy this one together :)
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The genre of this book is fantasy. (EduCreations Review) Ralph, a mouse who lives in a knothole in a hotel room is excited to find a toy motorcycle brought to the room by a young guest. To his surprise, and to the surprise of his family, he makes friends with the owner of the motorcycle, Keith, who lets him ride the motorcycle. Sadly, Ralph loses it, and loses Keith's trust as well. Ralph has to be brave, and repay Keith for his kindness by traveling to the ground floor of the hotel for the adventure of his life! This book would be appropriate for 3rd-5th graders.