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Rotten Ralph
Rotten Ralph's Show and Tell
Sarah takes Ralph to school so he can do his ABC's for show and tell, but as usual, the rotten cat refuses to cooperate.
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
18 people want to read
About the author
Jack Gantos
83 books551 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 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 24, 2025
Rotten Ralph the cat is back, and once again he's up to no good! When he ruins his little girl Sarah's violin and stamp collection, she concludes that she will just have to take Ralph himself to school, for Show and Tell. Although that feline manages to behave on the bus ride, once they're in the classroom he can't help himself, making mischief and creating chaos while all the other children show what they have brought. When it is Sarah and Ralph's turn, Ralph forgets his ABCs, and acts up again. Although they come home in disgrace, Sarah (as always) loves and forgives her cat, telling him he's smart enough for her...
We had a copy of author Jack Gantos and illustrator Nicole Rubel's Rotten Ralph in my childhood home, and I read it countless times, always amused by the story of a thoroughly bad cat with one redeeming quality—his love for his little girl. I don't specifically recall reading any of the other books about these characters when young, but I think I must have encountered Rotten Ralph's Show and Tell before, because when I got to the scene where Ralph pastes all of Sarah's stamps to himself, I had a strong recollection of seeing it before. In any case, I found this fifth entry in the picture book series devoted to the eponymous feline's misadventures entertaining, appreciating Ralph's antics, Sarah's love, and the trippy illustrations. Recommended to fans of Rotten Ralph, and to picture book audiences who enjoy humorous stories about naughty (rather than sweet) characters.
We had a copy of author Jack Gantos and illustrator Nicole Rubel's Rotten Ralph in my childhood home, and I read it countless times, always amused by the story of a thoroughly bad cat with one redeeming quality—his love for his little girl. I don't specifically recall reading any of the other books about these characters when young, but I think I must have encountered Rotten Ralph's Show and Tell before, because when I got to the scene where Ralph pastes all of Sarah's stamps to himself, I had a strong recollection of seeing it before. In any case, I found this fifth entry in the picture book series devoted to the eponymous feline's misadventures entertaining, appreciating Ralph's antics, Sarah's love, and the trippy illustrations. Recommended to fans of Rotten Ralph, and to picture book audiences who enjoy humorous stories about naughty (rather than sweet) characters.
March 11, 2010
Sarah, Ralph's owner, needs to bring something to school for show and tell. At first, she decides to bring her violin, but Ralph has broken the strings. Next, she goes to her room to get her stamp collection--perfect for show and tell. But Ralph has licked all of the stamps and stuck them all over his fur. Finally, Sarah tells Ralph that she wants to bring him to school, so he can show her class how smart he is by writing his ABC's.
All the way to school Ralph is on his best behavior: he doesn't stick out his tongue, he doesn't trip anyone with his tail. When it's time for show and tell one of the students is giving a presentation on their ant farm. Ralph knocks it over and the ants go everywhere. Next, a child is showing a favorite home movie, and Ralph uses the projector to create a scary shadow monster. Now that Ralph is really warmed up, he starts to bang the erasers together and covers everyone with chalk. Then he scratches the chalkboard with his claws and hurts everyone's ears. When it's Sarah's turn to present, Ralph tries to write his ABC's, but he gets them all mixed up. To avoid embarrassment, he rings the dismissal bell early. As punishment for his behavior, Sarah's teacher puts a dunce cap on Ralph. Ralph feels like he let Sarah down and worst of all he feels stupid. In the end, Sarah reassures him, "Oh Ralph", "You're smart enough for me."
I feel that the ending sends a good message to children. Even though you make mistakes, people will still love and appreciate you. A bit didactic and sweet, but only on the final page. Rubel has gained confidence and precision as an artist. I love how she imagines Ralph's antics.
All the way to school Ralph is on his best behavior: he doesn't stick out his tongue, he doesn't trip anyone with his tail. When it's time for show and tell one of the students is giving a presentation on their ant farm. Ralph knocks it over and the ants go everywhere. Next, a child is showing a favorite home movie, and Ralph uses the projector to create a scary shadow monster. Now that Ralph is really warmed up, he starts to bang the erasers together and covers everyone with chalk. Then he scratches the chalkboard with his claws and hurts everyone's ears. When it's Sarah's turn to present, Ralph tries to write his ABC's, but he gets them all mixed up. To avoid embarrassment, he rings the dismissal bell early. As punishment for his behavior, Sarah's teacher puts a dunce cap on Ralph. Ralph feels like he let Sarah down and worst of all he feels stupid. In the end, Sarah reassures him, "Oh Ralph", "You're smart enough for me."
I feel that the ending sends a good message to children. Even though you make mistakes, people will still love and appreciate you. A bit didactic and sweet, but only on the final page. Rubel has gained confidence and precision as an artist. I love how she imagines Ralph's antics.
August 4, 2010
Sarah has nothing to bring to school for her show and tell presentation since her cat, Rotten Ralph destroyed everything she was going to bring. Sarah has no choice...she had to bring Ralph and hope he would be on his best behavior. He was...at first, then he started to destroy the other kid's show and tell props. Rotten Ralph's Show and Tell is typical rottenness from Ralph, but Sarah loves him anyway.
Used for "Show & Tell" Storytime-October, 2010.
Used for "Show & Tell" Storytime-October, 2010.
December 19, 2011
Ralph broke the strings on Sarah’s violin so that didn’t work for show and tell. And then he licked the stamp collection. As a result Sarah must bring Ralph the cat to school. He is bad at school and claps the chalkboard erasers. He makes the ABCs in the icing of his cake.
January 15, 2011
a very very cute story about rotten Ralph's visit to school for show and tell. Fun to read aloud and share giggles of the antics.
July 14, 2014
Rotten Ralph is rotten, but his little girl loves him anyway.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews