Louie and Ralphie Ratso are no softies! Readers are sure to chuckle as the determined Ratso brothers’ plans to act tough go hilariously awry.

Louie and Ralphie Ratso’s dad, Big Lou, always says that there are two kinds of people: those who are tough and those who are soft. Louie and Ralphie are tough, tough, tough, just like Big Lou, and they’re going to prove it. But every time they try to show just how tough they are, the Ratso brothers end up accidentally doing good deeds instead. What’ll Big Lou do when he finds out they’ve been acting like softies all over the Big City? Perfect for emerging and reluctant readers, this clever and surprisingly warmhearted chapter book shows that being tough all the time can be really tough.

Creators

Kara LaReau is the author of a number of picture books, including Ugly Fish, Mr. Prickles, and Otto: The Boy Who Loved Cars, all illustrated by Scott Magoon. She lives in Providence, Rhode Island, with her family.

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 Bartholomew Biddle and the Very Big Wind by Gary Ross, as well as many other books for young readers. Matt Myers lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Awards

Maryland Blue Crab Young Reader Award Honor Book
Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book
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