Louie and Ralphie discover that camping is not easy — especially since Scoutmaster Grandpa Ratso doesn’t think they should ask for help — in the latest adventure in the Infamous Ratsos series.

Ralphie and Louie Ratso and the rest of the Big City Scouts are leaving the city to go camping for the first time. And they have a special guide: Grandpa Ratso! He was Scoutmaster when Ralphie and Louie’s dad, Big Lou, was a kid. Grandpa teaches everyone the Scouts motto he still remembers, which says that Big City Scouts are always able to solve problems without asking for help. But the Scouts soon find that figuring out how to pitch a tent, make a fire, and find their way through the woods is tough to do by themselves. In fact, not asking for help isn’t working at all! Luckily for the Scouts, someone unexpected comes along to set them all straight about what the motto really says: Scouts have the courage to ask for help and work together. Kara LaReau and Matt Myers team up again to combine witty text and humorous illustrations for the fourth book in the Infamous Ratsos series.

When Louie and Ralphie Ratso set out to transform a cluttered lot into an arcade, they end up conquering a few surprising fears along the way in this follow-up to the Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book The Infamous Ratsos.

Louie and Ralphie Ratso have a genius idea: if they clear out the lot down the street, they can use all the junk lying around to build makeshift games for a Big City FunTime Arcade! With their friends to help, they’ll be able to recycle all the old abandoned stuff into whack-a-mouse, a high-striker, a fortune-telling booth, and more. Everyone says the house next to the lot is haunted, but if Louie just pretends it’s not there, maybe he can ignore the goose bumps he gets every time he looks at it. Ralphie’s head’s not exactly in the game, either, because of some rumors that have been swirling around school. But they’re Ratsos, and like their dad, Big Lou, Ratsos aren’t afraid of anything — right? Kara LaReau and Matt Myers team up for a second surprisingly touching chapter book proving that sometimes the things you fear the most aren’t at all what you thought — and might be exactly what you need to feel better.

Project Fluffy

by Kara LaReau

Published 11 February 2020
Louie Ratso tries to help super-cool Chuck Wood win the heart of his friend Fluffy Rabbitski in the third installment of the Infamous Ratsos.

Chuck Wood is the most popular kid in school, and Louie Ratso can’t believe that Chuck has asked him for help! Chuck likes Louie’s friend Fluffy Rabbitski, and he wants Louie to help him get Fluffy to notice him. As for Ralphie Ratso, he can’t believe that his brother wants to spend all his time with Chuck instead of with him. Meanwhile, despite Louie and Chuck’s attempts to get Fluffy's attention, she has eyes for only one thing: her garden. But there may be hope. As their father, Big Lou, tells his boys, the best way to get someone to like you is to show that you’re interested in what they like. After all, that’s how Big Lou won over Mama Ratso years ago. Can Louie help Chuck find a way into Fluffy’s heart? And will Ralphie find a way to let his brother know how much he misses him?


Ratty Tattletale

by Kara LaReau

Published 2 March 2021
When Ralphie Ratso stands up to some kids who bullied his friend, they vow revenge. But will ratting them out make it worse?

Sid and Kurt have been picking on Ralphie’s friend Tiny, and when Ralphie tells them to stop, the two boys get sent to the principal’s office. Now Sid and Kurt are out to get Ralphie! They upend Ralphie’s lunch tray, whip the ball at his head on the playground, and pelt him with peashooters when the teachers aren't looking—ping! Ralphie’s brother, Louie, says he should tell a grown-up, but Ralphie—not wanting to be a Ratty Tattletale—decides to “fight fire with fire,” only creating new problems for himself. It’s time to tell Big Lou, his dad, who has a few wise ideas for putting things right. Full of the charm and fun that Ratsos fans love, this fifth adventure highlights the difference between standing up for yourself and taking vengeance—and shows why confiding in a trusted grown-up when you have a big problem can be the coolest thing to do.

Louie and Ralphie are always up to something! Join the Ratso brothers on their first three adventures in a bind-up of stories with humor and heart to spare.

Whether they’re trying to be tough, face their fears, or win someone’s attention, brothers Louie and Raphie will make readers laugh out loud as they stumble through one relatable situation after another. Hilarious, frequently touching, and perfect for early readers, this bind-up includes Kara LaReau’s Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book The Infamous Ratsos as well as its follow-ups, The Infamous Ratsos Are Not Afraid and The Infamous Ratsos: Project Fluffy.

Ralphie is excited to sing and dance with his friends—until Chad makes fun of them for being “girly.” Can everyone learn to be true to themselves?

When Louie and Ralphie Ratso see their friends singing and dancing in the run-down band shell in the Big City Park, Louie gets one of his big ideas. They’ll put on a concert to raise money to improve the park! But as Ralphie, Tiny, Velma, and Millicent plan a repertoire by the Critter Kidz, their favorite pop group, featuring costumes full of glitter and sequins, Chad Badgerton teases and says they look “girly”—making Ralphie self-conscious about being in the group. Why is being girly a bad thing? Then Tiny, their lead singer, loses his voice, and the gang worries that the concert won’t happen at all—until Ralphie and Louie discover that Chad has a secret fan stash of his own. Can Ralphie muster enough confidence to help Chad find his? Fans of the Ratsos as well as readers new to the series will be tickled and heartened by this latest adventure.