That pesky letter R.  It's one of the hardest sounds for kids to pronounce, and one of the last to be acquired.  Poor Rodney Rat is afflicted with this speech challenge, and his rodent classmates constantly make fun of him.  He rarely speaks in class, and spends most of his time hiding inside his jacket, which he pulls over his head when he's scared.  When Camilla, a very large rodent with a tendency to bully others arrives, everyone in P.S. 142 Elementary School for Rodents trembles. 

"Fur prickled in fear through the classroom.
She sure was bigger than any of them.
She sure looked meaner than any of them.
Was she smarter than any of them?"

On the playground, Rodney saves the day (unintentionally, of course) in his own "weally" special way, and his formerly hostile classmates now embrace him.  (A tried-and-true plot line done well in this case.)

A fun read-aloud, Hooway for Wodney Wat has loads of kid-appeal and entertaining illustrations.  Everyone can commiserate with Rodney, and Camilla provides an excellent *non-example* of appropriate classroom behavior.  My only warning: you may find yourself substituting "w" for "r" when you speak!