School for Bandits by Hannah Shaw - ESSENTIAL

Shaw, Hannah.  School for Bandits.  Alfred A. Knopf, 2011. $16.99.  PICTURE BOOK.  Ralph Raccoon was not your typical bandit raccoon.  He was well behaved, clean and tidy, and polite.  When his parents got tired of his good behavior, they decided to send him off to Bandit School.  But Ralph did not really fit in there because he did not like to burp, throw food, or make bombs.  However, Mrs. Mischief then decided to hold a Best Bandit in School competition, and Ralph must choose what he will do.  When I first started reading this book, I was delighted.  The illustrations are delightful.  Every page has so much to look at.  Near the end of the book, I started being afraid that the book would let me down.  But it didn't.  I loved the ending.  It was an overall wonderful read...a great picture book experience.  Pre-K, EL(K-3), EL - ESSENTIAL.  Brent Smith, Reading Teacher