The Mouse and the Motorcycle

By Beverly Cleary and Jacqueline Rogers

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 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. 

The Mouse and the Motorcycle is perfect for independent reading or for shared reading at home or in a classroom. 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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Oct 6, 2009
• ISBN: 9780061972270

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.

Book preview

1

THE NEW GUESTS

Keith, the boy in the rumpled shorts and shirt, did not know he was being watched as he entered Room 215 of the Mountain View Inn. Neither did his mother and father, who both looked hot and tired. They had come from Ohio and for five days had driven across plains and deserts and over mountains to the old hotel in the California foothills twenty-five miles from Highway 40.

The fourth person entering Room 215 may have known he was being watched, but he did not care. He was Matt, sixty if he was a day, who at the moment was the bellboy. Matt also replaced worn-out lightbulbs, renewed washers in leaky faucets, carried trays for people who telephoned room service to order food sent to their rooms, and sometimes prevented children from hitting one another with croquet mallets on the lawn behind the hotel.

Now Matt’s right shoulder sagged with the weight of one of the bags he was carrying. Here you are, Mr. Gridley. Rooms 215 and 216, he said, setting the smaller of the bags on a luggage rack at the foot of the double bed before he opened a door into the next room. I expect you and Mrs. Gridley will want Room 216. It is a corner room with twin beds and a private bath. He carried the heavy bag into the next room, where he could be heard opening windows. Outside a chipmunk chattered in a pine tree and a chickadee whistled fee-bee-bee.

The boy’s mother looked critically around Room 215 and whispered, "I think we should drive back to the main highway. There must be a motel with a Vacancy sign someplace. We didn’t look long enough."

Not another mile, answered the father. I’m not driving another mile on a California highway on a holiday weekend. Did you see the way that truck almost forced us off the road?

Dad, did you see those two fellows on motorcycles— began the boy and stopped, realizing he should not interrupt an argument.

"But this place is so old, protested the boy’s mother. And we have only three weeks for our whole trip. We had planned to spend the Fourth of July weekend in San Francisco and we wanted to show Keith as much of the United States as we could."

San Francisco will have to wait, and this is part of the United States. Besides, this used to be a very fashionable hotel, said Mr. Gridley. People came from miles around.

Fifty years ago, said Mrs. Gridley. And they came by horse and buggy.

The bellboy returned to Room 215. The dining room opens at six-thirty, sir. There is Ping-Pong in the game room, TV in the lobby, and croquet on the back lawn. I’m sure you will be very comfortable. Matt, who had seen guests come and go for many years, knew there were two kinds—those who thought the hotel was a dreadful old barn of a place and those who thought it charming and quaint, so quiet and restful.

Of course we will be comfortable, said Mr. Gridley, dropping some coins into Matt’s hand for carrying the bags.

But this big old hotel is positively spooky. Mrs. Gridley made one last protest. It is probably full of mice.

Matt opened the window wide. Mice? Oh no, ma’am. The management wouldn’t stand for mice.

I wouldn’t mind a few mice, the boy said, as he looked around the room at the high ceiling, the knotty pine walls, the carpet so threadbare that many of its roses had almost entirely faded, the one chair with the antimacassar on its back, the washbasin and towel racks in the corner of the room. I like it here, he announced. A whole room to myself. Usually I just get a cot in the corner of a motel room.

His mother smiled, relenting. Then she turned to Matt. I’m sorry. It’s just that it was so hot crossing Nevada and we are not used to mountain driving. Back on the highway the traffic was bumper to bumper. I’m sure we shall be very comfortable.

After Matt had gone, closing the door behind him, Mr. Gridley said, I need a rest before dinner. Four hundred miles of driving and that mountain traffic! It was too much.

And if we are going to stay for a weekend I had better unpack, said Mrs. Gridley. At least I’ll have a chance to do some drip-drying.

Alone in Room 215 and unaware that he was being watched, the boy began to explore. He got down on his hands and knees and looked under the bed. He leaned out the open window as far as he could and greedily inhaled deep breaths of pine-scented air. He turned the hot and cold water on and off in the washbasin and slipped one of the small bars of paper-wrapped soap into his pocket. Under the window he discovered a knothole in the pine wall down by the floor and, squatting, poked his finger into the hole. When he felt nothing inside he lost interest.

Next Keith opened his suitcase and took out an apple and several small cars—a sedan, a sports car, and an ambulance about six inches long, and a red motorcycle half the length of the cars—which he dropped on the striped bedspread before he bit into the apple. He ate the apple noisily in big chomping bites, and then laid the core on the bedside table between the lamp and the telephone.

Keith began to play, running his cars up and down the bedspread, pretending that the stripes on the spread were highways and making noises with his mouth—vroom vroom for the sports car, wh-e-e wh-e-e for the ambulance, and pb-pb-b-b-b for the motorcycle, up and down the stripes.

Once Keith stopped suddenly and looked quickly around the room as if he expected to see something or someone, but when he saw nothing unusual he returned to his cars. Vroom vroom. Bang! Crash! The sports car hit the sedan and rolled over off the highway stripe. Pb-pb-b-b-b. The motorcycle came roaring to the scene of the crash.

Keith, his mother called from the next room. Time to get washed for dinner.

OK. Keith parked his cars in a straight line on the bedside table beside the telephone, where they looked like a row of real cars only much, much smaller.

The first thing Mrs. Gridley noticed when she and Mr. Gridley came into the room was the apple core on the table. She dropped it with a thunk into the metal wastebasket beside the table as she gave several quick little sniffs of the air and said, looking perplexed, I don’t care what the bellboy said. I’m sure this hotel has mice.

I hope so, muttered Keith.

2

THE MOTORCYCLE

Except for one terrifying moment when the boy had poked his finger through the mousehole, a hungry young mouse named Ralph eagerly watched everything that went on in Room 215. At first he was disappointed at the size of the boy who was to occupy the room. A little child, preferably two or even three children, would have been better. Little messy children were always considerate about leaving crumbs on the carpet. Oh well, at least these people did not have a dog. If there was one thing Ralph disliked, it was a snoopy dog.

Next Ralph felt hopeful. Medium-sized boys could almost always be counted on to leave a sticky candy bar wrapper on the floor or a bag of peanuts on the bedside table, where Ralph could reach them by climbing up the telephone cord. With a boy this size, the food, though not apt to be plentiful, was almost sure to be of good quality.

The third emotion felt by Ralph was joy when the boy laid the apple core by the telephone. This

Reviews for The Mouse and the Motorcycle

[quondame · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Sweet and silly, I love that the motorcycle goes when the noise is made.

[zoes_human · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book so much as a kid. It is no doubt responsible for how much I like mice.

[cheryl_in_cc_nv · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Read this more than once as a child, and then again aloud to my sweetheart Ralph and my youngest son. So much fun.

[jill.haner · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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.

[athena.j · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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.

[jaclynpoe · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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.

[crowyhead · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The adventures of a mouse and his motorcycle. One of my all-time favorites as a kid.

[eric_j._guignard · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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.

[cheriedooryard · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

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.

[mainrun · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

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.

[stsmurphy · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"Pb-pb-b-b-b. Pb-pb-b-b-b." With these magic vocables, Ralph the mouse revs up a dream come true--his very own motorcycle. Living in a knothole in a hotel room, young Ralph has seen plenty of families come and go, some more generous with their crumbs than others. But when young Keith and his parents check in to the hotel, Ralph gets his first chance to check out. He has always fantasized about venturing beyond the second floor, maybe even outside. Curiosity overcomes caution, and Ralph must have a go at Keith's toy motorcycle. Soon, the headstrong mouse finds himself in a pickle, when all he wanted was to ride a motorcycle. Lucky for him, the boy understands how it is. When he discovers Ralph in his thwarted attempt to abscond with the toy bike, Keith generously encourages the rodent to ride. He even teaches him the simple trick of starting the motorcycle: "You have to make a noise... pb-pb-b-b-b." The subsequent situations Ralph motors into require quick thinking and grownup-sized courage.

[cmiersma_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Summary: When a little mouse named Ralph has the chance to ride a motorcycle, he must now learn how to be responsible for your actions. This book portrays a typical young boy, or in this case a mouse, who is in love with adventure, and what better way to do so with a motorcycle in your hands. When Ralph has the opportunity to prove himself as responsible, he rises to the challenge to save his human friend from his sickness. This book displays a good fantasy through the talking animals and unrealistic activities, such as a mouse riding a motorcycle through a hotel. Critique: The characters in this book aren’t as descriptive and expressive as most books. Ralph is one of the only characters that is described, and his description is mostly his thoughts. I feel this book is a good book for a young boy to read because the main character has all the same feelings and emotions that most young boys have at that age. The topic and character are also much more related to young boys as well. Teacher Use: A teacher could present this book as an option for independent reading. The person who reads this particular book can then share with the class the plot, characters, and his feelings about the book during a sharing time. No Media

[clshelkoff · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Ralph lived in a hotel and he always saw very interesting people. When a young boy checks into the hotel and he has many different toy cars and motorcycles. All Ralph wants to do is ride in all of them. Ralph rode the motorcycle one day and he fell into the trash can. His journey is both funny and adventurous.

[ecarroll_51 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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.

[mscrisso · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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.

[abbylibrarian_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

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.

[greytfriend_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fantastic book. Easy to read and a great adventure. The characters are very appealing, especially the lead, Ralph the mouse. I would recommend this book for children of all ages. I found it especially useful for the in-between age where the kids want to read an adventure but get a bit scared by a lot of the themes and images in many books these days.

[melopher_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

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.

[puffybear_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is a really good book. It is suitable for all ages. I really really enjoyed it. Beverly Cleary plots her stories really well. This is a must read book.

[salemsmith · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

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.

[alyssajane · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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

[nmhale_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[lecowan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is about a young boy traveling with his parents during summer break. They end up at an outdated California hotel that has long lived its glory days. The boy makes friends with a young mouse who shares a common love of motorcycles with the boy. Through many situations for both the boy and the mouse, they form an unusual friendship built on a love of the boy’s toy motorcycle. At the end of this book the boy allows the mouse to keep his toy motorcycle to drive around the hotel and the mouse tells the boy it won’t be long until he, the boy, will be grownup enough to have his own motorcycle.I think the author of this book chose a very clever way to interpret a boy’s fascination with toys and a “creepy” creature. I particularly enjoyed the part where the mouse races the motorcycle up and down the hotel hallway and terrorizes the terrier in one of the other rooms. I also thought it was touching when the mouse risks his and his family’s lives to find the feverish boy an aspirin. The story would be good to have the children create a shadow box of. After the students created a shadow box, they could write or tell what their favorite part(s) of the story are and explain why. I also think this would be a good story for boys to read if they’re interested in motorcycles, toy cars or mice. This book would also be a good addition in a lesson dealing with friendship, traveling and growing up.

[sonya.contreras · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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.

[lalfonso_618548 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Children love the story of the friendship of Ralph, the mouse, and Keith, the young boy whose family is staying at the hotel in which Ralph and his family live. Ralph has adventures on Keith's toy motorcycle. This story was fun to read. It makes a great read aloud for 3rd - 5th grade. Teaching ideas include types of fiction.

[terris-7 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

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 :)

[linnaea44 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this book. I vaguely remember reading this as a child and I believe I saw the movie. I really like the adventure of the mouse and his courage throughout the book. He is like many young children wanting to grow up before their time and not understanding that even if you get bigger that does not mean you are older and more mature. The friendship gained between Ralph and Keith was priceless. I love how Ralph was amazed at how easily Keith forgave him for his mistakes. Great book for children to learn forgiveness and trust. I would recommend this book to all ages for reading assignment or just for fun.  

[rastaphrog · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Read this many a year ago, not even sure how old I was. Can't remember all the details now, but I remember enjoying it a lot. :)

[sheila1957 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Ralph the Mouse lives with his family in a hotel. Kevin and his family stay in the hotel where Ralph sees Kevin's toy motorcycle and desires to ride it. After all, it is the perfect size for a mouse. Ralph gets a chance to ride it but he gets into a lot of trouble which puts his family in trouble. Ralph also gets some side benefits for his family though. When tragedy happens Ralph is there to help.I enjoyed this story. It was fun and imaginative. I liked how Ralph was independent but thoughtful of his family. When he gets into trouble he knows when to admit it and tries to find ways that will undo the hardship on his family. I liked the courage he shows when Kevin needs help. I enjoy Ms. Cleary's books. I plan to enjoy more of them no matter what my age.

[kthomp25 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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!