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Beezus and Ramona
(Ramona Quimby #1)
by
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 atte
...more
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160 pages
Published
June 8th 2000
by Oxford University Press
(first published July 1st 1955)
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Beezus and Ramona (Ramona, #1), Beverly Cleary
This is the only book in the series written from older sister Beezus' point of view. In the book, Beezus is struggling with her feelings for her annoying younger sister Ramona.
Ramona exasperates Beezus with her high spirits and wild imagination. Ramona scribbles all over a library book, gets Ribsy locked in the bathroom, and disrupts Beezus' art class.
Finally Beezus realizes it is possible to love her sister, even when she doesn't always like her. ...more
This is the only book in the series written from older sister Beezus' point of view. In the book, Beezus is struggling with her feelings for her annoying younger sister Ramona.
Ramona exasperates Beezus with her high spirits and wild imagination. Ramona scribbles all over a library book, gets Ribsy locked in the bathroom, and disrupts Beezus' art class.
Finally Beezus realizes it is possible to love her sister, even when she doesn't always like her. ...more
Returning to my childhood, I picked up this cute piece for my current book challenge. Beatrice ‘Beezus’ and Ramona Quimby share an interesting sisterhood connection. Ramona is that annoying four year-old, seeking her own independence and annoying a much older (9-10) and mature Beezus, in this collection of short stories. Ramona finds herself fixated on a certain book, the desire to join in the fun with the older children, and even to throw herself a party. Beezus is left to process all that her
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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.
In a Battle of the Brats, my son couldn't decide whether Fudge or Ramona would win. I, however, thought Ramona the true champion. But she is hilarious. And actually, I started to ...more
In a Battle of the Brats, my son couldn't decide whether Fudge or Ramona would win. I, however, thought Ramona the true champion. But she is hilarious. And actually, I started to ...more
Beezus could not help feeling annoyed. Miss Robbins was letting Ramona stay in the class—the one place where she was never allowed to tag along! Miss Robbins would probably like her painting, because it would be so full of imagination. Ramona’s pictures, in fact, were so full of imagination that it took even more imagination to tell what they were.
I’ve had Beverly Cleary on my mind for a while now ever since NPR did a story about her (as of this writing, she is 103 years old!), so it suddenly se ...more
I’ve had Beverly Cleary on my mind for a while now ever since NPR did a story about her (as of this writing, she is 103 years old!), so it suddenly se ...more
May 17, 2012
Megan
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
children-s-lit,
owned
As a kid, I used to devour Beverly Cleary books and the Ramona series was no exception! I recently found a copy of Beezus and Ramona at the local used bookstore, and I picked it up to relive a bit of my childhood. As a child, I was drawn to the zest for life that Ramona brought to the page. However, on this go around, I found myself identifying with sweet, lovable Beezus. Her intelligent and quiet demeanor is such a contrast to that of Ramona's. I now have a younger sister and she is a lot like
...more
My own once-annoying little sister ran her first 5K this morning and texted me afterward to tell me she had done it, how happy and accomplished she was feeling. This is the perfect book to read on a day when I am thinking about her, since we certainly weren't always the sort of friends we are now.
I can't believe this book has been around since the 50's (aside from the fact that 9-year old Beezus spends her time playing checkers and making potholders). Its wisdom is contemporary and, dare I say ...more
I can't believe this book has been around since the 50's (aside from the fact that 9-year old Beezus spends her time playing checkers and making potholders). Its wisdom is contemporary and, dare I say ...more
Bottomline: Started to read this to my 5year old.... neither of us were impressed, so we stopped.
I remember reading this series when I was little... and my daughter loves (and very much relates to Ramona's antics in) the movie remake that came out a few years ago... so we were both very excited about starting this book. But not very far in (maybe half way through the 1st chapter), my daughter just couldn't seem to get interested... for which I was thankful - because it just wasn't settling right ...more
I remember reading this series when I was little... and my daughter loves (and very much relates to Ramona's antics in) the movie remake that came out a few years ago... so we were both very excited about starting this book. But not very far in (maybe half way through the 1st chapter), my daughter just couldn't seem to get interested... for which I was thankful - because it just wasn't settling right ...more
I read this as a kid, and I loved the book and the story. As a older sibling, I had several younger sibs to deal with... although I don't remember any of them being as quite annoying as Ramona! Some of the things she did actually made me chuckle as I read them although now as an adult I can not help but think of how absolutely aggravating it might have been to be Ramona's parents sometimes, especially with the apple bit.
Even though this book would be quite dated now (this happened in my grand- a ...more
Even though this book would be quite dated now (this happened in my grand- a ...more
Sep 21, 2007
Jackie "the Librarian"
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
this is a great read aloud
Shelves:
childrensbooks,
humor
As a read-aloud, young children will relate to Ramona, and older, independent readers will feel Beezus's pain.
This is my favorite Ramona book, because of the episode with the library book (I'm a librarian, see). Ramona, being only four, colors in the steamshovel book Beezus checked out for her from the library, and they have to pay for it. When the librarian stamps the book "Discarded," and prepares to hand it back to the girls, Beezus sees the danger just in time. If they give the book to Ramo ...more
This is my favorite Ramona book, because of the episode with the library book (I'm a librarian, see). Ramona, being only four, colors in the steamshovel book Beezus checked out for her from the library, and they have to pay for it. When the librarian stamps the book "Discarded," and prepares to hand it back to the girls, Beezus sees the danger just in time. If they give the book to Ramo ...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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3.5 stars
Why did I never read any Beverly Cleary's works before? Yes, this is actually the very first book I've read by her, and it was a hoot! Except for one moment when I winced at one of Beezus' ideas (a girl can't like mechanical things), this was a fun little story. Ramona is a handful! And poor Beezus, trying so hard to be patient and appreciate her inventive and mischievous four-year-old sister. Typical exploits that had me laughing and laughing: inviting all the kids in her nursery school to a pa
...more
This was my 4 years first regular chapter book. We started out reading it, and then switched to listening to an audiobook during the commute to school.
The thing I personally found interesting was how different 4 year olds were treated in the 1950's versus now. I found myself amazed at how much freedom a 4 and 9 year old had: Walking to the library. Going to art glass, with Ramona basically playing in the park unattended. This is amazing to me, even though I know that it echoes my own childhood. ...more
The thing I personally found interesting was how different 4 year olds were treated in the 1950's versus now. I found myself amazed at how much freedom a 4 and 9 year old had: Walking to the library. Going to art glass, with Ramona basically playing in the park unattended. This is amazing to me, even though I know that it echoes my own childhood. ...more
I remember reading some, not all, of the Ramona Quimby series when I was a kid. I was delighted when Isabelle told me that Beezus and Ramona was the "read aloud" book at school - which means her teacher reads it aloud during snack time and after lunch.
I really love this series! I have as much fun reading these books to Isabelle as Isabelle does listening to me read them.
Beezus and Ramona introduces us to Ramona, and as a mother, I feel better just knowing that someone - Beverly Cleary! - seemed ...more
I really love this series! I have as much fun reading these books to Isabelle as Isabelle does listening to me read them.
Beezus and Ramona introduces us to Ramona, and as a mother, I feel better just knowing that someone - Beverly Cleary! - seemed ...more
I know I read some of the Ramona books as a child but I don't have particularly strong memories of them, so listening to the audiobook was an interesting experience. Stockard Channing narrates this Listening Library edition and I was disappointed with the results. I really enjoy Channing's film and tv work, but the narration just didn't work for me. Her children's voices were either whiny or outright obnoxious which makes it hard for me to decide how much of my dislike of Ramona was the writing
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I needed to read this one for a Copycat Challenge for my group. And man, did I hate this book.
Ramona is one of the most annoying, aggravating, stupid, idiotic characters I have ever seen (and I read a lot). I truly hated her, I don't care that she is 4 or 3 or 5 for all I care, she was a total horrendous kid. Doing whatever she wanted, and otherwise tantrum. She loved punishments (at one time in the story they decided not to give her any), she loved ruining, wrecking and destroying things, no ma ...more
Ramona is one of the most annoying, aggravating, stupid, idiotic characters I have ever seen (and I read a lot). I truly hated her, I don't care that she is 4 or 3 or 5 for all I care, she was a total horrendous kid. Doing whatever she wanted, and otherwise tantrum. She loved punishments (at one time in the story they decided not to give her any), she loved ruining, wrecking and destroying things, no ma ...more
When I was a child, I never read the Ramona books, because my mom thought they displayed Bad Attitudes and encouraged me to read other things instead. I never cared, but recently, I thought I should try out the classic stories for cultural knowledge and appreciation. I now have cultural knowledge and an increased appreciation for my mother's discernment. I really did not need to read this book when I was little, and would have been even more scandalized by it than I was now.
This book is well-wri ...more
This book is well-wri ...more
I decided to read this on a bit of a whim. Inspired by D.E.A.R day I pulled out some of my old books from when I was a kid. I don't think I have read a Beverly Cleary book since I was in 3rd or 4th grade. I did read her autobiographies when I was in 7th grade for a book report. I always loved Beverly Cleary and I am excited to return to this great children's classics.
9 year old Beezus, who always seems so level-headed, is dealing with the antics of her "creative" 4 year old sister, Ramona. Beezu ...more
9 year old Beezus, who always seems so level-headed, is dealing with the antics of her "creative" 4 year old sister, Ramona. Beezu ...more
I found the complete set of Ramona book's, and re-reading these book's I read as a kid is wonderful.
In this first one we meet the sister's, Beatrice ( Beezus), and Ramona. It is such a delight to experience these book's I loved so much as a young girl.
Anyway Ramona is just four years old, and the trouble she can get into is unbelievable.
You travel through this first book from Beezus's perspective. It's starts with a trip to the library and the trouble with Ramona goes right to the end.
Beverly ...more
In this first one we meet the sister's, Beatrice ( Beezus), and Ramona. It is such a delight to experience these book's I loved so much as a young girl.
Anyway Ramona is just four years old, and the trouble she can get into is unbelievable.
You travel through this first book from Beezus's perspective. It's starts with a trip to the library and the trouble with Ramona goes right to the end.
Beverly ...more
Ramona is simply the best. I'm so pleased that my kids love these books as much as I did.
...more
Jun 03, 2020
PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Beverly Cleary creates such a lovable, exasperating character in Ramona Quimby. Her older sister Beezus has the patience of a saint, most of the time.
The only reason I’m not giving BEEZUS AND RAMONA 5 stars is because it’s quite dated. Young readers will wonder why a nine-year-old babysits her four-year-old sister and why the girls are allowed to walk to the library alone, crossing streets with red lights. They’ll wonder why the art teacher is critical about technique and why she doesn’t praise ...more
The only reason I’m not giving BEEZUS AND RAMONA 5 stars is because it’s quite dated. Young readers will wonder why a nine-year-old babysits her four-year-old sister and why the girls are allowed to walk to the library alone, crossing streets with red lights. They’ll wonder why the art teacher is critical about technique and why she doesn’t praise ...more
July 2017: I just finished reading this book aloud to my almost-three-year-old and I can see so much of him in Ramona. She's the perfect depiction of a young child, the way their mind works, the questions they ask, the way they interpret things, the trouble they get into. I'd forgotten that this book is actually told from Beezus's point of view, but Quinn still really enjoyed listening to the story. I wasn't sure if he'd actually engaged with it and pay attention, but he did. I'd completely forg
...more
So good. Certainly, some of the things in the book don't hold up well on the cultural level -- Beezus playing Sacagawea in the school play, for one, and the bits about how Christopher Columbus discovered America -- but everything else absolutely does. In fact, a lot of how Cleary renders the Quimby family's position as lower middle class/working class is quite refreshing. It's rare to see now, and yet, it's reality. Fig Newtons were a dessert for this family, and Beezus getting a homemade (then
...more
Thirty-five years ago, my older sister introduced me to Ramona; I fell in love with her and reading, and I’ve never looked back. Introducing her to my children has delighted me, but their eagerness to read more, begging to read her together every night, has overwhelmed me with joy. Ramona is timeless, fun, and relatable, and we. love. her.
Oct 06, 2017
Kathy Davie
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fiction,
middle-grade
First in the Ramona Quimby middle-grade readers fiction series and revolving around a misbehaving younger child.
NOTE: Beezus and Ramona supports the Common Core standards…if that’s important to you.
My Take
This is a handy tale for those siblings who are the older sister (or brother) and that hate-hate relationship between siblings that turns into funny stories when you’re old enough. Well, actually, I suspect this is more useful to the parents who are dealing with older kids who are angry and/or ...more
NOTE: Beezus and Ramona supports the Common Core standards…if that’s important to you.
My Take
This is a handy tale for those siblings who are the older sister (or brother) and that hate-hate relationship between siblings that turns into funny stories when you’re old enough. Well, actually, I suspect this is more useful to the parents who are dealing with older kids who are angry and/or ...more
I really admire the publishers of this series. Even though the stories and characters are not exactly timeless, the books receive new editions every generation, with updated illustrations, but the details and dialogue remain entrenched in Baby-Boomer vocabulary.
There's not a lick of technology in this first book in the "Ramona" series, except the occasional telephone call conducted in the kitchen, because that's where the telephone lives, be it rotary or maybe even push-button(??!), and thus any ...more
There's not a lick of technology in this first book in the "Ramona" series, except the occasional telephone call conducted in the kitchen, because that's where the telephone lives, be it rotary or maybe even push-button(??!), and thus any ...more
Ramona drove me crazy!
On the plus side, Stockard Channing did a wonderful job narrating the audiobook
On the plus side, Stockard Channing did a wonderful job narrating the audiobook
I remember liking this a lot as a kid but it doesn't really survive well into adulthood. Beatrice (Beezuz) is the older sister, 9 years old, and Ramona is about 4. Ramona drives Beezus and everyone else crazy. At the time of my reread, my daughter Miranda is almost 4, so I can relate to a lot of the bad behavior and frustrations, but Ramona is really a next level awful toddler.
Another thing that stands out so many years later is how much freedom the two girls have to wander the town. Beezus is ...more
Another thing that stands out so many years later is how much freedom the two girls have to wander the town. Beezus is ...more
I have an amazing, beautiful, old copy of Beezus and Ramona that I scored at a library book sale. I adore it, and decided to give it a reread, as I haven't visited with Ramona in forever. Can you believe this--I completely forgot the first book in the Ramona series is told from her older sister's point-of-view. Ramona is only four, and while she's just as charming and adorable as usual, four is very different from the Ramona I remember (Age 8!). What I'm saying is that I appreciated and enjoyed
...more
Read this years ago, but decided to read it to the girls aloud. After the first chapter, I feared they wouldn't enjoy it because it's a little outdated and not as funny as the Bunnicula series we just finished, but I was wrong. They totally loved this first book and are chomping at the bit to have me read the rest. And that makes me happy because I really enjoyed this series when I read it the first time. (Though I think little Ramona needs some more serious punishments at times than just being
...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cozy | 11 | 67 | Jun 22, 2018 09:00PM | |
| What's the Name o...: SOLVED. Children's book - A sister and her brother's love for a book. [s] | 4 | 26 | Jan 04, 2018 07:13AM | |
| Romana | 1 | 8 | Jan 07, 2016 08:21PM |
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Beverly Cleary (born April 12, 1916) is the author of over 30 books for young adults and children. Her characters are normal children facing challenges that many of us face growing up, and her stories are liberally laced with humour. Some of her best known and loved characters are Ramona Quimby and her sister Beatrice ("Beezus"), Henry Huggins, and Ralph S. Mouse.
Beverly Cleary was born Beverly At ...more
Beverly Cleary was born Beverly At ...more
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“After Father had served the chicken and mashed potatoes and peas and Mother had passed the hot rolls, Beezus decidedthe time had come to tell Aunt Beatrice about being Sacajawea. "Do you know what I did last week?" she began. "I want some jelly," said Ramona "You mean, 'Please pass the jelly,' "corrected Mother while Beezus waited patiently. 'No, what did you do last week?" asked Aunt Beatrice. "Well, last week I-" Beezus began again. " like purple jelly better then red jelly," said Ramona. ' Ramona , stop interrupting your sister," said Father. "Well, Ido like purple jelly better then red jelly," insisted Ramona."Never mind," said Mother. "Go no, Beezus." Last week-" said Beezus, looking at her aunt, who smiled as if she understood."Excuse me, Beezus," Mother cut in. "Ramona, we do not put jelly on our mashed potatoes." "I like jelly on my mashed potatoes."Ramona stirred potato and jelly aroud with her fork. "Ramona you heard what your mother said." Father looked stern. "If I can ut butter on my mashed potateos, why can't I put jelly? I put butter and jelly on toast," said Ramona. Father couldn't help laughing. "That's a hard question to answer." "But Mother-" Beezus began."I like jelly on my mashed potateos," interrupted Ramona, looking sulky.”
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“Mother, what am I going to do?' Beezus demanded. 'It's checked out on my card and I'm responsible. They won't let me take any more books out of the library, and I won't have anything to read, and it will all be Ramona's fault. She's always spoiling my fun and it isn't fair!' Beezus didn't know what she would do without her library card. She couldn't get along without library books. She just couldn't, that was all.”
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