Beezus and Ramona

Cleary, Beverly

ISBN 10: 0688310761 ISBN 13: 9780688310769

Publisher: HarperCollins, 1955

Synopsis

Ramona Quimby is the youngest of all the famous characters in Mrs. Cleary's wonderful Henry Huggins stories. She is also far and away the most deadly. Readers of the earlier books will remember that Ramona has always been a menace to Beezus, her older sister, to Henry, and to his dog Ribsy. It is not that Ramona deliberately sets out to make trouble for other people. She simply has more imagination than is healthy for any one person.

In this book Ramona and her imagination really come into their own. Starting with a fairly mild encounter with the librarian, which is harder on Beezus than anyone else, Ramona goes from strength to strength, winding up by inviting her entire kindergarten class to a part at her home without mentioning it to her mother. The riot that ensues is probably the most hilarious episode in this extremely funny book, which proves that Mrs. Cleary's imagination is almost as lively as Ramona's.

About this title

Review:

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.

There's no one in the world like Beverly Cleary, either. This terrifically popular author of over two dozen children's books has withstood the test of time for generations, as her many awards, including the Newbery Medal, attest. Two books in the Ramona series, Ramona and Her Father and Ramona Quimby, Age 8, were also named Newbery Honor Books. Louis Darling's wonderful ink illustrations are the kind that will stay with a reader for a lifetime. (Ages 8 to 12) --Emilie Coulter

From the Back Cover:

Four-year-old Ramona Quimby has an imagination that often leads to unintended trouble. She mortifies older sister Beezus at the library; disrupts an entire art class; and one rainy day, invites all her neighborhood friends over for a party—without even asking her mother.

Sometimes Beezus can be patient with Ramona. After all, they are sisters. But when Ramona almost ruins Beezus's birthday, it's the last straw. Beezus knows she ought to love Ramona—but how can she get along with someone so exasperating?

In this tale of two sisters, Beverly Cleary writes with sympathy for Beezus and affection for Ramona. Newly illustrated by Jacqueline Rogers, Beezus and Ramona proves that the Quimby girls don't have to be alike in order to be unforgettable.

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 1955
• ISBN 10: 0688310761
• ISBN 13: 9780688310769
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 160
• Illustrator: Rogers Jacqueline