The Infamous Ratsos

A Cybils Awards Nominee!

Title: The Infamous Ratsos

Author:  Kara LaReau

Illustrations:  Matt Myers

Publisher:  Candlewick Press

ISBN:  9780763676360

Review:

Louie and Ralphie are the Ratso brothers. They want to be tough just like their dad Big Lou. Together they plan sinister things so they can show everyone how tough they are. Unfortunately for them, their dastardly deeds never seem to pan out. On the playground, they steal Chad Badgerton’s hat. But, it wasn’t Chad’s hat at all. It belonged to Tiny Crawley who viewed the deed as a save in his favor. Another time during a winter storm their plan was to shovel snow right into the doorway of a local store. Again, their plan backfired and instead they cleared a path so the store could open. Most of their deeds made them out to be the good guys and they didn’t go unnoticed. When Big Lou received a letter from the school Louie and Ralphie were in for a very big surprise. Can you guess what it was?

Author Kara LaReau has created a fun couple of characters in this hilarious read. Black and white illustrations found throughout these pages will make readers laugh out loud as they follow along. Bold print sentences are basic and easy to read. This book would be a great read-a-loud for any classroom or family reading time. This book is also a great tool for discussion regarding bullying.