This is a fun book, and though I don't remember the earlier Ramona books very well this one did capture the charm I remember from them. ( )

I keep reading the Ramona books, in part, because I have an awesome granddaughter named Ramona. She just turned 1-year old the week before I read this book. The Ramona in this book is 9 going on 10. So, there's not much parallel. In the earlier books, there was some parallel with my awesome grandson, Anderson, who turned 8 a month ago.

But, in this book, I saw less parallel between Ramona in the book and Anderson. Likely it's because girls and boys begin differentiating along about third grade. Ramona in the book is in fourth grade, so it's all a bit more foreign to me. I still liked the book, only a bit less so. But in the end, what's not to like about a kid who is intrinsically adorable, but who struggles to make sense of the world. The world doesn't always make a whole lot of sense.

Should be 3½*s were that possible. ( )

While I've enjoyed reading about Ramona, Beezus and the kids in their neighborhood, I find I like the earlier books, when Ramona was younger, better. Somehow her antics and thought processes were more entertaining. Still worth reading all of the series. ( )

Ramona's never had a girl best friend, and now that she's in the fourth grade, she's feeling like she'd really like one. Will Daisy, the new girl at school, fit the bill?

This book came out after I had outgrown the series, so it's an odd experience for me, reading a "new" Ramona book (I first read it on my last reread of the series, about ten years ago). It has the same delightful feel as the rest of the series and fits in well. ( )

We wrapped up the Ramona series with the final book, which was published long after the original series. It's not my favorite, but I do love seeing Ramona become a big sister and make new friends. ( )