But by third grade, after spending much time in her public library in Portland, Oregon, she found her skills had greatly improved. As a child, she struggled with reading and writing. Mouse, Ralph goes to school with the son of the new housekeeper at the inn.īeverly Cleary (1916–2021) remains one of America’s most beloved authors. In Runaway Ralph, Ralph leaves the Mountain View Inn and goes down the road to Happy Acres Camp, where he is captured by a boy who makes him his pet! In Ralph S. Ralph’s adventures continue in Runaway Ralph and Ralph S. The Mouse and the Motorcycle inspired two more stories.Īfter the success of The Mouse and the Motorcycle, Beverly Cleary made the story into a trilogy. And from there, the idea for the story began. When I saw it, it occurred to me that this mouse was just the size of the motorcycle that my son had been playing with in England. “Then, when we got home, a neighbor of mine had caught a mouse and wanted to show me.

He seemed to get lost in some imaginary adventure, running the motorcycle up and down the stripes of the hotel’s bedspread. He had some toy cars to play with to amuse him, and among the cars was a little motorcycle. “I myself am surprised to have written it! When my husband, kids, and I were visiting England, my son developed a fever and had to stay in bed. In it, the interviewer asked Beverly, “Of all the animals in the world, how did you decide that a mouse would get not only his own story but his own motorcycle?” The idea of a mouse on a motorcycle was inspired by Beverly Cleary’s son and a mouse caught in a bucket.Ī special interview was included at the beginning of the “Celebrating a Timeless Classic” printing of The Mouse and the Motorcycle. Mouse? Share these fun facts with your students to go behind the scenes of The Mouse and the Motorcycle and to learn how Ralph’s adventures have continued since.ġ. So how did Newbery Medal–winning author Beverly Cleary get the idea for her classic novel? How can you spend more time with Ralph S. Adventure, friendship, humor, talking mice- The Mouse and the Motorcycle has it all!

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