Ralph is an absolute charmer, and the illustrations are the perfect accompaniment to the story of this reluctant writer. An ideal read aloud to accompany an introduction to creative writing or journal-keeping. There are a host of perfect little touches in the pictures--check out the kids' drawings of famous storybook characters on the walls of the classroom, as well as the names of Ralph's stories at the end of the book, after he has gained confidence on his storytelling abilities.