Ramona and Her Mother

Now that her dad has a job at the grocery store, things are settling a bit more back to normal at the Quimby household. But Ramona wonders, if Beezus is her mother's girl, where does that leave her? She's not a pest like her friend Howie's sister, Willa Jean, but she's not as sensible as her older sister, either.

I'm continuing to enjoy my reread through these books with their realistic portrayal of family and growing up. I was surprised to see that Ramona is learning cursive in this one (I remembered more clearly that she complained about the look of a cursive Q in a later book, but she doesn't seem to have any qualms about it here). And I completely remembered the toothpaste incident, and found it funny how small of a story it was in show more the whole of this one. Cleary does an excellent job, as always, of portraying each character's emotion in a real way that I can relate to, whether I see it from the parents' perspective or the child's. show less

Once again, Beverly Clearly does it with the character of Ramona, making it easy for readers to connect with this 7-year old girl. She manages to capture the struggles of that age. Though it was longer ago than I care to think about, I remember being 7, and the struggles I had when I was expected to act more mature, but still had to follow the same rules as I did before and chafed at being treated like a "baby" while dealing with pesky younger siblings and/or cousins. The struggle is real, you guys :P And Beverly Cleary is one of these rare authors that really manages to capture it profoundly.

Loved revisiting this old favorite, adored it as much as I did way back when I was seven.

There’s such a simplicity to Beverly Cleary’s writing yet it conveys so much truth and heart and makes me laugh, too. Moment after moment this brought back my own childhood, things I felt and experienced were so identifiable in Ramona and her big sister Beezus.

There’s nothing all that big about the plot which may not work for every reader but that’s what makes it so real and relatable for me, it’s the everyday stuff, their family not having a lot of money to spare, forgetting to plug in the slow-cooker, heartbreak over a haircut, getting into scrapes, worrying when your parents argue, and longing to indulge in little kid activities even show more though you know you’re supposed to be more grown up than that.

Ramona and her mother offers up plenty of fun moments like the situation where Ramona feels so cozy in her pajamas that it leads to an error in judgment but this book is also a heart-tugger as Ramona aches to be as close to her mother as her sister is, the closing moments, how a rash decision Ramona makes is handled, it epitomizes poignant and feel-good. show less

Sometimes it seems like Ramona Quimby's older sister, Beezus, gets all the attention and privileges in the family. In fact, Mrs. Quimby lets neighbors and friends know she couldn't get along without Beezus, and Ramona feels left out. Yet, a drastic decision Ramona makes will remind her just how her mother feels about her in Ramona and Her Mother by Beverly Cleary.

What a pleasure to revisit one of my favorites in the Ramona series. (What a double-pleasure to have obtained a copy that even smells like the one I read all those years ago. Oh yes indeed.) Cleary has such an understanding of life through the eyes of a seven-and-a-half-year-old, showing how much those childhood matters matter. Reading chapter books! Feeling carsick. New show more pajamas! Mom and Dad have a spat. And, yes—practicing one's cursive handwriting!

There are dashes of humor that got laughter out of me. But the story (and the Ramona series altogether) doesn't avoid real-life situations that friends and families can find themselves in. And, gee, much like when I recently reread Ramona and Her Father, being able now to understand this story on a greater level from both an adult's and a child's point of view makes it all the more touching.

Sure, I may be growing even more sensitive in my adult years, but if a children's book ever got a tear out of me toward the end, this one did. I blame the wonderful illustration that accompanies the scene!

Let's see now, I've got two more Ramona books to revisit, and the newer one I've not read before... show less

Ramona is getting older. With each successive book in the series, another year passes, and now the creative and feisty girl is in second grade. She is still creative, her imagination burns just as bright, but she is learning some restraint. When her neighbor calls her Juanita, she doesn't blurt out that her name is actually Ramona. And when Willa Jean disrupts her checker game with Howie, she doesn't make a fuss, but finds something else to play. Unfortunately, their new game involves the bluing and a tub of water, and she and Howie end up with blue clothes and feet. Ramona may be more mature, but she is still only seven years old. When she sews pants for her elephant doll that don't fit right at all, she can't help losing her temper show more and throwing the doll against the wall. She thinks it is a wonderful idea to wear her new fluffy pajamas under her clothes when she goes to school, until the extra warmth leaches all her energy away.

This book is full of funny episodes such as these, but the smaller anecdotes are linked together with a larger plot line about the relationship between Ramona and her mom. Now that Ramona is more observant of others, she is jealous of the close relationship between her mother and Beezus. Everyone always says that Beezus is her mother's girl, but no one makes that comparison between Ramona and her mom. She longs for cozy special times with her mom, but she doesn't have the same domestic skills or grown-up interests as Beezus. Her complicated feelings, which she only half understands, build to a breaking point over a misunderstanding. Ramona declares that no one loves her and she is running away. When her mom comes in to help her pack, and fills her suitcase with so many items that Ramona can't even lift it off the ground, Ramona learns that she has her own special relationship with her mom.

Ramona captures the essence of a child, accurately reflecting a young person's thoughts and interests at various ages.Truly, Cleary impresses me with her ability to portray the many stages of childhood, and with the way she shows Ramona slowly maturing as she gets older. The book blends deeper issues of family relationships and self esteem with humor, making the story easy to read and laugh with, but also emotional and touching. I admit, I like the younger Ramona with her crazy antics, but I think her changes are inevitable, and she would be a poor character if she never evolved. She is still a sweet girl, and her domestic adventures very entertaining. As the series progresses, I feel like Ramona is a real girl, growing up in her family. I enjoy tagging along on her journey. show less

I am learning so much about my role as a parent through these books. Ramona sees her parents fight and talks about moments where she is ashamed, worried, or angry. Cleary makes all of her emotions feel real and captures the vulnerability of childhood perfectly.

Everyone always says that Beezus is her mother's girl, that her mother couldn't get along without her. Why doesn't anyone say that about Ramona? What will it take for her to be called "her mother's girl?"

Another solidly enjoyable entry in the Ramona series. I find that the episodic nature of these means that I have trouble remembering which anecdote belongs to which book -- if, as in the current case, I'm listening to the whole series without taking a lot of breaks between books, sometimes they start to blend together.