Ralph S. Mouse

Ralph S. Mouse is the third book in Beverly Cleary’s middle-grade trilogy chronicling the adventures of a mouse who can talk to children and loves riding a tiny red motorcycle. Published in 1982 and illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky, the novel follows Ralph, who lives at the Mountain View Inn and still rides his motorcycle through the hotel lobby at night. When the hotel manager threatens to fire Ralph’s friend Matt, the hotel custodian, because he can’t control the mouse population, Ralph decides he must leave the hotel to preserve his friend’s job. Ralph tags along to school with his friend Ryan, where he hides out, and hijinks ensue as Ryan’s classmates discover Ralph and make him the focus of a class project. The novel is preceded by The Mouse and the Motorcycle, published in 1965, and Ralph Rides Again, published in 1970. In 1990, ABC adapted the novel into an animated television special.

The source material comes from the 2014 Harper Collins EPub edition.

Plot Summary

Ralph the mouse lives at the Mountain View Inn, a fading ski resort near Cucaracha, California. Ralph spends his days hiding under the grandfather clock and waiting for nighttime, when he can don his red helmet and race through the halls on his tiny red motorcycle. Ralph has the unique ability to communicate with children, and the motorcycle was a gift from a child he once knew. However, these days Ralph’s motorcycle is showing signs of overuse. Each night, his relatives beg Ralph to give them rides on his motorcycle, but their constant demands are wearing both his tires and his nerves thin.

Ralph enjoys watching television with the inn’s housekeeper’s son, Ryan, who lives at the inn with his mother, Mrs. Bramble. Since he’s the new kid in school, he doesn’t have many friends. As they watch a car stunt show, Ryan says he has a classmate named Brad who races motorcycles, and Ralph thinks he might like to meet him. Matt, the inn’s custodian, can also communicate with Ralph, and he helps him and his other indoor relatives evade the eye of the inn’s prickly owner, Mr. Minch. One night after a snowstorm, guests arrive and leave melted snow puddles in the lobby. Ralph races through them, excited by the crests of water. However, his relatives soon overtake him and beg for rides. Matt helps shoo away the throng, but they leave behind their droppings. The next morning, Mr. Minch scolds Matt for not doing his job and mandates that he eradicate the inn of all mice. Ralph feels terrible for causing Matt stress and feels he must leave the inn. If he leaves, then his relatives won’t come out each night and make a mess. Ralph begs Ryan to take him and his motorcycle to school and hitches a ride in Ryan’s pocket; however, when he arrives at J. Sneed Elementary School, he realizes that it may not be the haven he imagined.

Ryan attends class in Room 5, and soon his classmates spot Ralph peeking out of his pocket. Miss Kuckenbacker, or Miss K, puts Ralph in a glass fishbowl and the class marvels at him. Miss K is an energetic teacher who loves to turn everything into a lesson, so she decides that the class will research mice and conduct a Mice Exhibit, which will conclude with Ralph running a maze to demonstrate his intelligence. Ralph despises being put on display and feels very anxious about running the maze. He begs Ryan to help him, but Ryan wants his classmates to be impressed by what his pet mouse can do, so he tells Ralph he can’t leave and can’t have his motorcycle until he runs the maze. Ralph, angry, demands he return the motorcycle. Ryan refuses and leaves Ralph alone at school overnight. Ralph scavenges the classrooms for food and shelter and collapses each night with exhaustion.

The mouse exhibit day arrives, and the anticipation fills Ralph with anxiety. A reporter from the local newspaper arrives to photograph the students and report on the exhibit. The students display art depicting Ralph and recite poems about mice. Gordon delivers an informational presentation on all the negative characteristics of mice. The time for the grand finale arrives, and Ralph trembles with fear as Ryan places him in the maze. Ralph is so overstimulated he can’t detect the scent of the peanut butter and struggles in the maze. Using his creativity, Ralph scales the wall and easily traverses the top of the maze to the end reward. Brad claims Ralph cheated and Ryan forces him to run the maze again, but Ralph repeats the maneuver. Brad and Ryan begin arguing, which escalates into a fight. After Miss K defuses the conflict, Ryan realizes that Ralph’s motorcycle was destroyed in the tussle. Ralph is overcome with sadness, and he feels betrayed by Ryan.

When the students return to school the following Monday, they bring the latest edition of the newspaper, which features the reporter’s story on the exhibit. Instead of highlighting the students’ hard work, the reporter insinuates that the school is overrun with mice and suggests that the school board take drastic extermination measures. Angry at being misrepresented, the students ask to write complaint letters to the newspaper. They also worry that Ralph will be caught in one of the traps set by the school officials. Miss K speaks with the principal, and he assures her that they are only setting a few traps. The next day, when no additional mice are captured, Miss K allows the students to write their letters. Miss K forces Ryan and Brad to apologize to one another for the fight, but they still argue over who’s at fault for breaking the motorcycle. Brad thinks Ryan’s family has the means to replace it since he lives in a hotel, but Ryan explains that he only lives there because his mother is an employee. Brad’s tone changes and the boys’ relationship begins to grow.

Ralph decides to speak to Brad and reprimands him for breaking his motorcycle. Enchanted by the talking mouse, Brad asks if they can be friends, but Ralph demurs. Ralph attempts to hide from everyone, including Ryan, but Ryan captures him and promises to return him to the inn. Ralph doesn’t know how he will face his relatives without his trusty motorcycle. Brad accompanies Ryan home on the bus, and the two boys learn that they each hold unfair assumptions about one another. Brad’s parents are divorced, and he lives with his father. Ryan doesn’t know where his father is and admits that sometimes it’s hard living in a hotel. When they arrive in the lobby, Brad gifts Ralph a tiny sportscar. Amazed at his new hot rod, Ralph slides in the seat and tries to start it with the same pbb sound he used for the motorcycle, but it doesn’t work. Brad tells him to try vroom, and soon Ralph is racing through the halls. Ryan reads the newspaper and sees that in response to the class’s letters, the reporter printed a retraction to the mouse infestation story. Predictably, Ralph’s relatives show up, eager for a ride in his new car. Ralph uses the skills he learned at school from Miss K to teach the mice to form an orderly line. Ralph reflects on all he endured at school but decides it was worth it if Ryan made a new friend and he learned to better communicate with his relatives. Eventually, Ryan’s mother and Brad’s father meet, marry, and move to a new home. Since Brad has a dog named Arfy, Ralph remains at the inn, safely tucked away under the grandfather clock during the day and racing his car at night.