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Rotten Ralph
Rotten Ralph Helps Out
Sarah's cat Rotten Ralph tries to help her create a school project based on ancient Egypt, but he is more of a hindrance than a help.
- GenresChildrensPicture Books
47 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2001
1 person is currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
Jack Gantos
81 books549 followersJack Gantos is an American author of children's books renowned for his portrayal of fictional Joey Pigza, a boy with ADHD, and many other well known characters such as Rotten Ralph, Jack Henry, Jack Gantos (memoirs) and others. Gantos has won a number of awards, including the Newbery, the Newbery Honor, the Scott O'Dell Award, the Printz Honor, and the Sibert Honor from the American Library Association, and he has been a finalist for the National Book Award.
Gantos was born in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania to son of construction superintendent John Gantos and banker Elizabeth (Weaver) Gantos. The seeds for Jack Gantos' writing career were planted in sixth grade, when he read his sister's diary and decided he could write better than she could. Born in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, and raised in Barbados and South Florida, Mr. Gantos began collecting anecdotes in grade school and later gathered them into stories.
After his senior year in high school (where he lived in a welfare motel) he moved to a Caribbean island (St Croix) and began to train as a builder. He soon realized that construction was not his forté and started saving for college. While in St. Croix he met a drug smuggler and was offered a chance to make 10 000 dollars by sailing to New York with 2,000 pounds of hash. With an English eccentric captain on board they set off to the big city. Once there they hung out at the Chelsea hotel and Gantos carried on dreaming about college. Then, in Jacks own words, "The **** hit the fan" and the F.B.I. burst in on him. He managed to escape and hid out in the very same welfare motel he was living during high school. However, he saw sense and turned himself in. He was sentenced to six years in prison, which he describes in his novel -HOLE IN MY LIFE-. However, after a year and a half in prison he applied to college, was accepted. He was released from prison, entered college, and soon began his writing career.
He received his BFA and his MA both from Emerson College. While in college, Jack began working on picture books with an illustrator friend. In 1976, they published their first book, Rotten Ralph. Mr. Gantos continued writing children's books and began teaching courses in children's book writing. He developed the master's degree program in children's book writing at Emerson College in Boston. In 1995 he resigned his tenured position in order to further his writing career (which turned out to be a great decision).
He married art dealer Anne A. Lower on November 11, 1989. The couple has one child, Mabel, and they live in Boston, Massachusetts.
www.jackgantos.com
Gantos was born in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania to son of construction superintendent John Gantos and banker Elizabeth (Weaver) Gantos. The seeds for Jack Gantos' writing career were planted in sixth grade, when he read his sister's diary and decided he could write better than she could. Born in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, and raised in Barbados and South Florida, Mr. Gantos began collecting anecdotes in grade school and later gathered them into stories.
After his senior year in high school (where he lived in a welfare motel) he moved to a Caribbean island (St Croix) and began to train as a builder. He soon realized that construction was not his forté and started saving for college. While in St. Croix he met a drug smuggler and was offered a chance to make 10 000 dollars by sailing to New York with 2,000 pounds of hash. With an English eccentric captain on board they set off to the big city. Once there they hung out at the Chelsea hotel and Gantos carried on dreaming about college. Then, in Jacks own words, "The **** hit the fan" and the F.B.I. burst in on him. He managed to escape and hid out in the very same welfare motel he was living during high school. However, he saw sense and turned himself in. He was sentenced to six years in prison, which he describes in his novel -HOLE IN MY LIFE-. However, after a year and a half in prison he applied to college, was accepted. He was released from prison, entered college, and soon began his writing career.
He received his BFA and his MA both from Emerson College. While in college, Jack began working on picture books with an illustrator friend. In 1976, they published their first book, Rotten Ralph. Mr. Gantos continued writing children's books and began teaching courses in children's book writing. He developed the master's degree program in children's book writing at Emerson College in Boston. In 1995 he resigned his tenured position in order to further his writing career (which turned out to be a great decision).
He married art dealer Anne A. Lower on November 11, 1989. The couple has one child, Mabel, and they live in Boston, Massachusetts.
www.jackgantos.com
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 17, 2019
Rotten Ralph tries to help Sarah out with her project on Egypt but ends up ruining it. He decides to fix things and ends up making the project better than before.
March 11, 2010
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.
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.
January 7, 2012
Sarah is eager to share all of her new knowledge about the Egyptians with Ralph. He can thank them for pancakes and being a pet. They spend time together learning more in the library. He tries to build a pyramid out of library books much to the dismay of Sarah and the librarian. It is sealed with an Egyptian handshake that Ralph will be better.
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October 9, 2015The main character is Ralph the slow cat.
The story begins with Sarah walking like an Egyptian.
The main event in the story is Sarah had a project about the ancient Egyptian.
The story ends with Ralph and Sarah and Sarah's dad went to the candy shop.
I learned that when it's a bad day sometimes it can turn out good.
I really liked when they went to the candy shop.
The story begins with Sarah walking like an Egyptian.
The main event in the story is Sarah had a project about the ancient Egyptian.
The story ends with Ralph and Sarah and Sarah's dad went to the candy shop.
I learned that when it's a bad day sometimes it can turn out good.
I really liked when they went to the candy shop.
November 20, 2008
From this children's book, I myself learned a great many facts about Egypt I did not previously know.
March 12, 2012
Rotten Ralph is up to his tricks again, in this book where Sarah learns about Egyptian history. I read a re-issue with an attractive new cover.
June 23, 2012
The story was cute, but I didn't care too much for the illustrations.
June 26, 2012
Loved. Review to come.
May 19, 2014
ROTTEN RALPH HELPS OUT
Rotten Ralph was naughty! I liked this book! Sarah has a special cat. But she was still mad at Ralph at times.
Rotten Ralph was naughty! I liked this book! Sarah has a special cat. But she was still mad at Ralph at times.
July 14, 2014
Naughty cats are beloved characters. Ralph is unusually large and human-like, and much worse than others.
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April 22, 2017goofy, helpful, repetitive
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews