Beezus and Ramona

Today we'll be reviewing Beezus and Ramona (Ramona Quimby #1) by Beverly Cleary.

The Basics:

Published: First published in 1955

Length: 160 pages

Reading Level: Age 8-12 years (grades 3-7)

Synopsis:

"Nine-year-old Beezus Quimby has her hands full with her little sister, Ramona. Sure, other people have little sisters that bother them sometimes, but is there anyone in the world like Ramona? Whether she's taking one bite out of every apple in a box or secretly inviting 15 other 4-year-olds to the house for a party, Ramona is always making trouble--and getting all the attention. Every big sister can relate to the trials and tribulations Beezus must endure. Old enough to be expected to take responsibility for her little sister, yet young enough to be mortified by every embarrassing plight the precocious preschooler gets them into, Beezus is constantly struggling with her mixed-up feelings about the exasperating Ramona."

Our Ratings (out of 5 stars):

Guinevere: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Lindsay: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Guinevere's Thoughts:

" I LOVED it! I liked Beezus' birthday cake and I liked when Ramona invited all the little kids over for a party."

My Thoughts:

Ramona Quimby was one of my favorite childhood characters and I am relieved to know that I still enjoy her precocious antics, though I appreciated certain aspects of the story from the perspective of an adult and a parent this time around, such as relating to Mrs. Quimby's weariness when her to-do list never seems to end thanks, in part, to Ramona's shenanigans. As I am attempting to type this, I've been interrupted no less than 10 times (and counting) by my own little troublemakers, so I fully understand the theme of exasperation with small children which runs throughout the story. Guinevere saw a reflection of herself in the way Ramona attempted to write her name, which was really just a series of scribbled 'i's and 't's. She looked at the illustration and said "That's how I write!".

Though this book was first published in 1955 and has some antiquated aspects, like Beezus' hobbies which include sewing and embroidering potholders, a 4 year old being left in the care of a 9 year old, and the outdated notion that girls shouldn't like books about construction equipment (a sentence which I omitted), the story manages to remain relevant to children and adults today by the sheer relatability of the characters and the predicaments in which they find themselves. Children behave like children whether it's 1955 or 2017 and that is a great comfort when you stop to consider that parents have been trying to find ways of dealing with curious, troublemaking children for generations.

Since Guinevere and I both enjoyed this book so much, we are moving on to the next installment in the series at her request. So, look for our review of Ramona, the Pest soon!

Read it or Leave it?:

I don't think I really even need to tell you that I definitely think you should read this book with your child.As usual, I recommend heading over to your local library and bringing home Beverly Cleary's Beezus and Ramona to share with your child. Or just take my word for it and go ahead and add it to your child's library so they can enjoy it for years to come.

What did you think of Ramona and her antics? Let me know in the comments!

Happy Reading! ❤