Rotten Ralph Helps Out Book

These books are published by Berryville Graphics and like the HarperCollins Publishers edition of Back to School for Rotten Ralph, the pages are glossy and the text larger. At school, Sarah is learning about Ancient Egypt. Ralph could care less and makes pancakes. Sarah informs him that the Egyptians made the very first pancakes. Then he burps after scarfing them down and Sarah says, "Ralph! Mind your manners! Thanks to the Egyptians, you are not a wild animal." Sarah asks Ralph to help her think of something wonderful to create for her Egypt project. She is sure he can help because the Egyptians said cats are very wise. Next, they go to the library to do research. Sarah tells Ralph to read a book about pyramids; she thinks building a pyramid might make a good project. Ralph starts to build a pyramid out of the books. The librarian is outraged. While Ralph is reading a book about mummies, he is terrified to learn that Egyptians mummified their cats. After Ralph reads a book about hieroglyphics, he tries his hand at it on the library walls. The librarian kicks Sarah and Ralph out of the library.

After all of his horrible behavior, Ralph agrees to help. Instead, when he's trying to build a model of an Egyptian boat, he floods the bathroom. Then he makes a desert in the living room by dumping wheelbarrows full of sand onto the floor. Sarah yells at Ralph; his helping upsets her. She tells him to go to bed. While Ralph is sleeping, Sarah makes a papier-mâché model of Cleopatra's bust. When Ralph discovers what Sarah has made, it's not special enough, so he adds paint. Sarah is devastated. She has nothing to turn in. At the last minute, she turns Ralph into the Sphinx. Her teacher is impressed. As a reward, Sarah gives Ralph a sucker. The Egyptians invented candy after all.

Because the Rotten Ralph Rotten Readers are intended for first through third graders, I was glad that Gantos added some educational content to the book. Not only do we continue to experience Ralph's antics, but we learn something in the process. For me, Gantos took the Rotten Ralph books to the next level through this short chapter book series.