Grandma Kemp: Howie's grandmother, who lives in the same house and watches Ramona, Howie, Willa Jean, and sometimes Beezus after school. Beezus and Ramona is a middle-grade novel, originally published in 1955, written by Beverly Cleary. It is the first book in the Ramona series and is a great choice for young children as a guided reading book, or for readers who are moving into chapter books. Though now considered a standard for realistic children's fiction, Beverly Cleary's books were unique in their time. "Ramona's complexity was something unusual in children's literature. Seen through the eyes of any other character, she could be a real nuisance. But when Cleary wrote from Ramona's point of view, all of the little girl's actions made perfect sense." [8] They are still valued today, as Julia Doubt writes, and read around the world. [a] [9] "It is greatly significant that today the Ramona series still sells in many languages and countries across the globe - reaching out to ordinary kids (and their annoying little sisters) - and their extraordinary common misunderstandings about the world - everywhere." [10] As The Essential Guide to Children's Books and Their Creators says, Beverly Cleary "remains one of those rare authors who are both critically acclaimed and immensely popular with young readers." [2] Adaptations [ edit ]

Ramona the Brave: Ramona faces fears big and small and proves that she is indeed brave. Journey along with her as she navigates a new school and discovers her inner strength. The book is done in short stories. Which at times annoyed me, I wasn't expected a short story book, I was expected a long running story. Grandpa Day: Mrs. Quimby and Aunt Bea's dad, who helps planned Aunt Bea's wedding. His wife Grandma Day died before the first book, so Ramona probably met her, but was young to remember. Ramona Geraldine Quimby: The main character. She has straight, short brown hair and an active imagination. Her middle name is Geraldine.

I really love this series! I have as much fun reading these books to Isabelle as Isabelle does listening to me read them. I loved this book when I was a kid and my son loves it now. He thinks Ramona needs a spanking, and I am inclined to almost agree. Perhaps not quite a spanking, but certainly something stronger than, "You may go to your room." I think the mom gets stricter in later books in this series, but she is wishy-washy in this one.

Kudos, Madam Cleary, for reminding me of the wonders of early independent reading. I will pass along this passion to Neo and anyone else I can. Beezus and Ramona introduces us to Ramona, and as a mother, I feel better just knowing that someone - Beverly Cleary! - seemed to understand what it's like to parent a difficult child like Ramona. It made me feel not so bad about my own kids' misbehavior. :P I like that it highlights the relationship between two sisters - they love each other, of course, but they don't always like each other, and that's okay. The Lexile score for “Beezus and Ramona” is 780L, which corresponds to an approximate reading level of 3rd-5th grade. Two books in the series were named Newbery Honor books, Ramona and Her Father and Ramona Quimby, Age 8; Ramona and Her Mother received the National Book Award. Sometimes known as the Beezus and Ramona series.Roberta Quimby: Beezus and Ramona's baby sister, who is born at the end of Ramona Forever. Ramona is jealous that Roberta has all her parents' attention, but at the end of "Ramona's World" learns to love her sister. Her middle name is Day. The first book, Beezus and Ramona, appeared in 1955. The final book, Ramona's World, was published in 1999. Reading the series all at once also makes her process of growing up more clear; learning how to get along with her sister, her parents, figuring out her teachers and struggling with classroom behavior -- it really is a joy to watch her grow from a pesky toddler scribbling in library books to a 'zero-teen' year old being trusted to watch her baby sister on her own. The story’s relatability serves as a catalyst for discussions on family dynamics, responsibility, and problem-solving, allowing children to reflect on their own experiences and develop a deeper understanding of themselves and others. Additionally, the book can serve as a springboard for creative activities such as drawing, writing, or role-playing, further enhancing children’s cognitive and imaginative skills. Final Thoughts