SOLVED. Young girl answers ad in newspaper to man named Darren/Dylan to correct the word "stuff" juvenile fiction. [s]

[Pashi]

SOLVED: I read Ramona's World and I recognized the cover and the scene in question is probably the closest I'll ever get to what I remember, especially since what I remembered was so vague. So I'm going to say this one has been been solved. Thanks everybody who helped! Ya'll rock!

Probably published within the 1990s-2010 range.

A young girl sees ad in the newspaper with the word "stuff" in it and she writes the guy a letter telling him “stuff” isn’t a word. She gets told that "stuff isn't a word" previously by a parent or teacher, I think. He writes her back and apologizes for using the word "stuff". I have no idea if their friendship is the main part of the book but I want to say it might be.

Thanks in advance!

[Rosa]

Ramona's World

[Pashi]

Rosa wrote: "Ramona's World"

I loved the Ramona books as a kid so this could be it! I'll check it out and report back.

[Rosa]

Okay! It’s pretty late in the book. Ramona and her friend Daisy write to correct an accounting firm’s ad. There’s no Darren or Dylan, though.

[Kris]

Here's one of the Google Books previews of Ramona's World by Beverly Cleary - Rosa's suggestion:

https://books.google.com/books?id=uwD... There are different cover images. This version has black-and-white drawings throughout the book.

[Pashi]

Kris wrote: "Here's one of the Google Books previews of Ramona's World by Beverly Cleary - Rosa's suggestion:

https://books.google.com/books?id=uwD......"

Thanks. I used the search feature within the book, and while I didn't find the scene I remembered, they do talk about the word "stuff" so it looks very promising. I've placed it on hold at the library.

[SamSpayedPI]

Here's the part about the letter:

“Here’s a funny letter somebody wrote to some people who do income tax stuff. They put it in their ad.” “Boring,” said Daisy.

Ramona ignored her and read, “‘ You J. K. Barker people really know your stuff. I shoulda come here last year, and I’m gonna come here next year.’” She frowned her disapproval.

Daisy was indignant. “They shouldn’t put words like gonna and shoulda in the newspaper. Mrs. Meacham wouldn’t like it.”

They decide to write in to the firm that was advertising . . .

“Dear Tax People,” Ramona wrote, because her cursive was better than Daisy’s. “There are no such words as gonna and shoulda, which you put in your ad. You set a bad example for children who are learning to spell. We think you made up the letter yourself.” Ramona added the last sentence. “There are better words than stuff.”

A representative of the firm does reply, but his name is J.K. Barker, not Darren or Dylan.

[Pashi]

Rosa wrote: "Okay! It’s pretty late in the book. Ramona and her friend Daisy write to correct an accounting firm’s ad. There’s no Darren or Dylan, though."

I read it and I'm pretty sure that was the book of which I was thinking. Thanks so much!

[Pashi]

SamSpayedPI wrote: "Here's the part about the letter:
“Here’s a funny letter somebody wrote to some people who do income tax stuff. They put it in their ad.” “Boring,” said Daisy.

Ramona ignored her and read, “‘ Yo..."

Thank you!

[Rosa]

Aside: in Absolutely Normal Chaos, Mary Jo Finney is also forbidden to use the word “stuff.” She has to find interesting alternatives.