Louise T. Constantinople has taken what would typically be a fun idea for a children’s story and ramped it up several notches to create Ralph Ribbit’s Wacky Week Off, a hilarious story chock full of humor for young readers delving into their first chapter books. Ralph Ribbit, along with his wife, Ramona, and two kids, Reggie and Roxie, lives in Muddyville and is the proud Head of Insect Analysis at Acme Bug Company – until an unexpected explosion destroys his lab and several others, which gives him an unexpected week off work. Initially upset at the down time, it doesn’t take long for Ramona to convince Ralph that an entire week to himself doing nothing more taxing than preparing for Roxie’s birthday party and catching up on his reading might be just what he needs. There’s only one problem, though. Despite Ralph’s best intentions to relax, unexpected events conspire against his best laid plans, like Ramona getting sick with the flu, forcing Ralph to take over the running of their household with some interesting results; his obnoxious neighbor’s new invention; and both his kids needing him at their school on the same day. With everyone relying on him, Ralph nevertheless rises to the challenges with all the aplomb befitting a frog of his caliber.

While Ralph Ribbit’s Wacky Week Off is clearly intended for young readers of chapter books, the book also contains some vividly wacky pictures that will be sure to delight younger children as the perfect bedtime story. Constantinople’s prose is light and humorous while the grammar is age appropriate; the perfect blend to keep younger readers engaged. What makes this book also enjoyable for adults are the references to a very grown up world – with an amphibian twist, of course! There’s Ramona’s salon called The Webbed Foot, a beauty salon specializing in “amphibian webbicures and skin polishing,” mail that is delivered by mail frogs, and who can resist amphibian delicacies like cricket casserole and mosquito omelettes! Add to the mix interesting names like the Ribbits’ hometown of Muddyville, local shops like Pete’s Pizza Pond and a teacher named Tilapia Troutman, and you’ve got yourself a rib-tickling adventure. No matter how you skin it, catch it, slice it or cook it, Ralph Ribbit’s Wacky Week Off is a “ribbitulously” entertaining read!

Ralph Ribbit’s Wacky Week Off by Louise T. Constantinople is a well written juvenile fiction chapter book. The story begins with Ralph, a frog, and scientist for Acme bug company who experiences a reoccurring nightmare. He wakes up and realizes that his nightmare had been sparked by memories of an explosion that had occurred at the chemical laboratory where he worked. The fire had destroyed his laboratory. Ralph Ribbit is forced to take a week off from work while his laboratory was being repaired. Ralph discusses with his wife and children how he will spend his week. He is looking forward to a relaxing and peaceful week off. However, his plans quickly unravel. His wife, Ramona, gets sick with the flu. Ralph finds himself caring for his sick wife and his children. He finds himself juggling his family obligations with extra activities, including career night at his children’s school and preparations for his child’s birthday party. His family and friends keep him busy throughout the week with one wacky adventure after another.

This is a delightful book, certain to be enjoyed by elementary and middle school age children and beyond. The author has done an excellent job of creating a story that is truly entertaining. While the unique characters are based on animals, they have many human characteristics that add to the fun and excitement of the story. I found this to be a truly enjoyable read filled with imagination. I found myself completely immersed in the story, as if I was in the story myself. This thrilling page turner is one that is hard to put down. I highly recommend reading Ralph Ribbit’s Wacky Week Off by Louse T. Constantinople.

Ralph Ribbit’s Wacky Week Off by Louise T. Constantinople is a children’s story about Ralph and his busy week off from work. After a terrible accident destroys his lab and experiment, Ralph the scientist is forced to spend a week at home with his family and neighbors. This causes him to get stuck in a variety of interesting and humorous situations. His supposedly uneventful week off turns into a crazy problem-filled week dealing with Dewey his inventive neighbor, his gung-ho mother Miranda who is very set in her ways, and the illness of a family member. Because he has so much time to spare for all of these other people, he gets almost no time to himself.

This is actually the theme of the story, and since it’s a book for kids it sets the stage for a lesson incredibly well. The main character is very giving and always trying to help others. Ralph Ribbit’s Wacky Week Off turns the main character's outgoing and selfless personality into a virtue, one which is rewarded at the end. I really enjoyed the story; the pictures, though infrequent, were excellent in quality and highlighted important parts of the tale in a humorous manner. There are just enough images so that the story still has to stand on its own, but certain sections are made even more fun and interesting. All in all, Louise T. Constantinople’s frog-filled story of a scientist spending his week off is highly recommended for parents to enjoy with their children. Very entertaining. Well done!

Ralph Ribbit's Wacky Week Off by Louise T. Constantinople is a children’s story. Ralph Ribbit, a frog, is a scientist and he loves his job. But he is not very happy when the laboratory he works in at the Acme Bug Company is destroyed in an explosion and fire. He is even less happy when he is told it will take a week to repair and Ralph won’t be able to come to work. Ralph worries about what he is going to do all day at home but Ramona, his wife, comes to the rescue and tells him he should spend the week relaxing. So Ralph decides he is going to spend the week doing all the things he likes doing, but his friends and family have other ideas. Ralph's week off is not the peaceful quiet one he thought it was going to be as he gets involved in an action-filled week.

Ralph Ribbit's Wacky Week Off by Louise T. Constantinople is a funny book, one I enjoyed reading very much. It is an easy read and is full of action and hilarity as well as a few moral points, which I thought was a good idea. I think that children find some things easier to deal with in real life if they see the same thing happening in a book and can see how it is dealt with. I found the story to be a solid one, well written with a good plot, and the characters were very well developed. I understand this book is a sequel but I don’t think that I missed out on anything by not reading the first one – this one is written well enough to stand on its own. Overall, a good book, very enjoyable and once that I think kids of all ages will enjoy.