Booklist starred (February 15, 2011 (Vol. 107, No. 12))
Preschool-Grade 3. Ralph is a talking dog. And the text of this clever book consists of questions posed to Ralph, the canine answers, and comments from an unseen narrator talking to introduces this amazing pet. Asked “What’s your name?” the dog answers, “RRRALPH/RALPH.” Asked “Where are you?” Ralph responds, “ROOF/ROOF.” Once kids get the joke, they’ll enjoy guessing the dog’s replies to queries such as “What’s on that tree?” and “How’s the path feel on your paws, Ralph?” Created with realia as well as painted and textured papers, the three-dimensional collage illustrations feature zippers for Ralph’s mouth, a metal pop-top for his nose, buttons for the birds’ eyes, and actual bark for the tree’s trunk. The pages, colored in hot-pink, grass-green, and pumpkin, magnify the visual energy of the artwork and graphics. Each animal or object pictured shows up distinctly against a bright background, and Ralph’s words, along with the short lines of text, appear in large, bold type. With its appealing jacket art, clever text, and vibrant illustrations, this amusing picture book is a pleasure to read aloud, either individually or in story hour settings.
