The Infamous Ratsos Are Not Afraid

Myers endows LaReau’s large type, well-leaded narrative with plenty of cartoons infused with humor (one of the Arcade games is a variant on “Whack-a-mole” dubbed “Whack-a-Chad”) and featuring an expressively posed, all-animal cast in human dress. The arcade’s triumphant opening adds an upbeat closing flourish to another tale for fledgling chapter book readers that highlights the profound value of kindness to others.—Booklist (starred review)Readers will be following right alongside these two likable rats as Ralphie confronts his past misdeeds and Louie screws his courage to the sticking post to ask the haunted house’s resident for permission to use part of the yard. Charming.—Kirkus ReviewsLaReau’s dialogue is fast-paced and funny, and the frequent black-and-white illustrations by Myers further develop the characters…A strong chapter book that will appeal to both newly independent and slightly older but reluctant or stuggling readers.—School Library JournalMyers’s black-and- white illustrations not only move the plot along and give expressive faces to the animal characters but also conclude the tale on a light note with a couple of delightful puns. The relatable situations, familiar characters, progressive plot, and easy-to-read text (plus a little romance) create a satisfying follow-up to the Geisel Honor–winning The Infamous Ratsos (rev. 9⁄16).—The Horn BookShort chapters with lots of cartoonlike pictures make this perfect for those starting to read chapter books.—Providence Journal

Kara LaReau is the author of numerous picture books, as well as the middle grade novel The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters. She lives in Providence, Rhode Island.

Matt Myers is the illustrator of E-I-E-I-O: How Old MacDonald Got His Farm with a Little Help from a Hen by Judy Sierra, and Pirate’s Perfect Pet by Beth Ferry, as well as many other books for young readers. Matt Myers lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.