Ramona Quimby, Age 8

My 5yo loves listening to the Ramona books on audio (read by Stockard Channing). I loved these books when I was a kid, too. But imagine my horror when she started calling one of her toys Yard Ape because Ramona says it. In the books, Ramona calls one of her classmates Yard Ape because he teases her. His real name is Danny, but she continues to call him Yard Ape even after they become friends -- like it's an affectionate nickname. In the real world, Yard Ape is a racist slur (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/yard_ape).

So I had a Serious Talk with her about never calling anyone that. Ramona does a lot of things we should never do (e.g. destroying her classmate's art project, sticking burrs in her hair, ruining Beezus's birthday cake), so show more it was not difficult to convince my daughter that she shouldn't always follow Ramona's example.

Now I'm concerned as a children's librarian that this very popular classic uses a racial slur as a nickname, even though Beverly Cleary intended it in the "unruly child" sense. As I've learned, the impact is more important than the intent.

As far as I know, "yard ape" will not be a familiar insult to most kids today. It wasn't familiar to me, but when I heard the word "ape" I instantly knew I didn't want my kid (or any kid) saying that. I've learned a lot about the problems with monkeys in children's literature from the librarian and blogger Edith Campbell (https://crazyquiltedi.blog/2018/07/20/monkey-business/). The racist associations between primates and Black people are well documented.

So reader beware. All your faves are problematic. show less

I really felt for Ramona in this book. When her teacher calls her a show-off and uses the word "nuisance," I literally gasped out loud and just felt so bad for the poor girl! Though, as an adult, I immediately began to thinking through why the teacher would say that, but I can imagine kids reading this and thinking that is just a terrible teacher. Adding to that, it was almost too painful to see Ramona having so much responsibility put on her to make things work at the Kemps' so her dad can keep going to school and her mom can keep working. That's not even something Ramona blows up in her mind—it's basically what her parents tell her. But the indignity of Mrs. Kemp being paid while Ramona entertains her granddaughter gets under my show more skin a bit. That really just shows how connected I've gotten to this little girl, though. I've been enjoying Stockard Channing's narration throughout the series, too, and I recommend it for anyone who might be interested, young or old. show less

I loved Ramona as a kid and I love her as an adult. Remarkably, this book doesn't seem dated to me, and it's still somewhat unique in the way that the family's worries about money are known by the children as well. The parents do shield them a bit but Ramona and Beezus are aware that they all have to help out, and they understand why they don't have extravagances like eating out at restaurants that often.

There's also such incredible insight into the workings of eight-year-old Ramona's mind and her feelings (which makes it even funnier when she tells her dad, who's studying child development to be a teacher, "It's none of your business how kids think.") She's also a bit secretive (for example, when she overhears her teacher talk about show more her and doesn't tell anyone), and displays the beginnings of empathy:

Deep down inside, she felt she herself was nice all the time, but sometimes on the outside her niceness sort of - well, curdled. Then people did not understand how nice she really was. Maybe other people curdled too. (176-177)

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Re-read July/August 2019 show less

Cleary manages to make on of the best defined "naughty" kids and families in children's literature. She manages to make her sympathetic and believable without encouraging the problematic behavior. Ramona grows and matures, and that's primarily how she is different from nearly every other bad kid character. This is a Newbery honor that ages well.

Mr. Quimby has gone back to school to become a teacher, Beezus is starting junior high, and Ramona's going to a new primary school. All the while, Mrs. Quimby must go to work every day to keep the family afloat. With everyone facing collective changes, Ramona wants to be the kind of girl her family can depend on in Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by author Beverly Cleary.

Not to say I didn't enjoy this book as a child (I got such a kick out of all the Ramona books), but I'm quite certain I enjoyed this one more, this time around.

I can't get over how well the little-things-that-are-big-things are captured in Ramona's stories. Here, we have the joy of getting a brand new, smooth, pearly pink eraser to start off the school year. The anger when some show more wise guy classmate steals that eraser! The humiliation of getting sick in school. The warmth and coziness of a family car ride home on a rainy evening. The thrill and luxury of going out for dinner at Whopperburger!

And the absolute best part of class at school: silent reading! How handy to then be able to pull out something as mature and important as "Sustained Silent Reading" after school, to avoid playing with that annoying little Willa Jean for too long. Even if... "One of these days Willa Jean was sure to catch on that [Ramona] was just reading a book, and Ramona wanted to postpone that time as long as possible."

I laughed out loud several times, I was touched along the way, and I'm as hyped as ever to be revisiting this series. show less

Read for Children's Books group, Fiction Club, July 2021.

Jacqueline Rogers is def. not my favorite illustrator of the series.
You know what would be fun? Reading an edition that had Rogers, Tiegreen, Darling, Dockray, any others, all in one book.* Not only did they have different styles, but I'm pretty sure they chose different scenes to illustrate. I think I'd want a different episode than this one though, as Ramona is growing up so much I'm not sure I'm finding her as endearing as before.

But she's certainly getting smarter. And I love that the girls learned a bit about what a job it is to put dinner on the table every night. And that being poor isn't so bad, when you have a nice family.

I wonder if Cleary was ready to end the series show more here. It would have been a suitable place to stop. But of course fans and publishers always want more.

*Have learned of the existence of [b:The Art of Ramona Quimby: Sixty-Five Years of Illustrations from Beverly Cleary’s Beloved Books|51181471|The Art of Ramona Quimby Sixty-Five Years of Illustrations from Beverly Cleary’s Beloved Books|Anna Katz|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1586242764l/51181471._SX50_.jpg|75951506]!
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The Art of Ramona Quimby turned out to be a fabulous book.

Reread the story for Children's Books group, Newbery Club this time. I really needed another dose of Ramona. And she and her family do not disappoint. Their ability to find moments of joy and small ways to express love to one another, despite all the stresses, really speaks to me. And I bet to a lot of people, including the Newbery committee members!

Dockray's illustrations are fine. My edition does not have the supplemental matter. show less

Q5P5
Ramona books are classics. The key to Ramona and her family's lasting power is that they are constantly in situations that transcend time- uncomfortable, awkward school days, families having hard financial times, moody sisters, kids who have to stay with other families after school. Cleary writes children so incredibly, I can remember the exact feelings she describes Ramona having as an 8 year old.