The Mouse and the Motorcycle

Questions Just for Fun

If you were Ralph, what kind of toy car would you prefer to drive and why?

If you could communicate with any type of animal, which would it be?

Questions to Think Critically and Biblically

Throughout the book, we see Ralph’s selfishness. He is only focused on himself and what he wants. However, throughout the story, Ralph matures and learns to love Keith. What evidence is there in the book that Ralph comes to love Keith?
Discussion Guide - Discuss how love is giving of ourselves to meet others’ needs. Talk about how you saw Ralph being willing to sacrifice his safety for Keith’s good when he ventures out into the hotel to look for aspirin when Keith is sick. He stopped thinking about what was best for himself and instead focused on what was best for Keith.

When Ralph tells the tale of his adventures trying to find aspirin, he always leaves out the part about getting trapped under a glass. Why does he do this?
Discussion Guide - Discuss how we usually do not tell details of stories that make us look foolish or weak. Explain that historians look for these kinds of embarrassing details in historical documents to tell whether or not the author is reporting the details accurately. If they find embarrassing details about the author, they assume the story is true. Explain that this is one of the reasons we can have great confidence that the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) are true. They give embarrassing details. They describe Jesus calling Peter “Satan.” They describe the disciples repeatedly failing to understand, trust, and obey. And they describe women as being the first witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection. (At the time of the gospels, a woman’s testimony was not viewed as reliable.) These embarrassing details give us greater confidence that the gospels correctly describe what took place.

As Ralph and Keith talk about growing up, Keith says, “Just getting bigger isn’t enough. You have to learn things.” What are your thoughts about Keith’s idea? What are some ways in which you are not just growing physically, but learning?
Discussion Guide - Read Proverbs 2:1-15. Discuss how important it is not just to grow physically but to grow in wisdom. Talk about ways you have seen your child grow in wisdom over the past year. Discuss ways in which you would like to see them continue to grow in wisdom.