RRRALPH

A talking dog? Before you say, “Nonsense,” take a listen to Lois Ehlert’s playful picture book. From the moment he comes home and announces his name—”RRRalph” (roll those rrrs!)—Ralph answers his owner’s questions. The path is “rrufff” and necessitates walking home on the grass; the covering on a tree is called “bark, bark, bark.” And don’t be frightened by the “woof, woof” (wolf) that Ralph spots! Andrew Watts’s narration is as playful as the story. His voice is highly animated, and he enunciates and elongates each of the instances of wordplay with flair. Kids will enjoy the story while poring over Ehlert’s signature collage illustrations. A.R. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2012]