Ramona Forever

Changes are afoot in Ramona Quimby's neck of the woods. Her father is on a new job search, and a momentous turning point is coming for Ramona and her older sister, Beezus. Plus, there are surprises in store around the Quimby house: one big surprise, and one "little" surprise that's just as big! Through her adventures of growing up, Ramona is still Ramona in Ramona Forever by author Beverly Cleary.

Well! This book was originally a smashing end to the Ramona series, back in 1984, before the 1999 addition of one more Ramona book. Even with Forever no longer being the last, it's a smashing continuation and still one of my favorites.

It's got its laugh-out-loud moments and its heart-tugging moments when things get real. And, honestly, why do show more grownups treat children in some of the silly ways they do? (Yikes. I'm a grownup now. Do I do any of that silly stuff?) I understand Ramona's disinclination to giving people the silent treatment: "Ramona often yelled at people, but never refused to speak. Nothing could happen if you didn't speak, and she liked things to happen." And I've always been proud of the way Ramona saves the day in this story—oh, yes, she does!

Never a dull moment in this book full of changes in Ramona's life, and I'm looking forward to reading the next one in the series, which will be all-new to me. show less

You'd think with all the financial twists and turns the Quimbys have dealt with in previous books, they's prioritize birth control. I guess not, because Mrs. Quimby is prggers again. Oy vey. I liked many of the other challenges Ramona had to deal with in this book, but the new baby was just... meh.

Don't get me wrong, many parts of this book are brilliant and have the same magic as previous Ramona books, so if you enjoyed previous Ramona books, you should enjoy this one regardless of whether or not you care for the new-addition-to-the-family-AGAIN plot.

In what feels like a conclusion to the series, Ramona deals with some big family changes: a death, a wedding, a birth. It feels heavier than the slice-of-life tone of the previous books, but Cleary manages to keep it flowing along smoothly with doses of humor and joy and gives a nice snapshot of family life.

Ramona doesn't know it yet, but two big, exciting events are just around the corner. Her Aunt Beatrice has a boyfriend, and things are getting serious -- and are Ramona's parents acting like they have another secret? Maybe...

I always think of this as the last book in the series, because it was, back when I first read it. It's also the one I remember best -- in reviews of other books, I have mentioned that they tend to run together in my memory, but this one stands out a little more.

The penultimate Ramona book is, in my opinion, the weakest in the series. There are too many plot points and not enough Ramona. Howie's uncle, having made his fortune in oil in Saudi Arabia, comes to visit, sweeps Aunt Beatrice off her feet, and they get married. In the meantime, Ramona's father graduates with his teaching degree, but can only find a teaching job out in Podunksville, so he decides to manage a grocery store instead. Ramona's mother is pregnant, which they keep a secret from the girls for a ridiculously long time, and obsessive about gaining weight. It all has a very 80s feel that doesn't mesh with the 50s/60s feel of the earlier books (even though most of the series was written in the 70s, I think they still have the 50s show more feel of the original Henry Huggins books.

If there wasn't one last, much better, book in the series, I would advise skipping this one. You could, but since so many changes occur in this one, I think it would be pretty jarring to skip from [b:Ramona Quimby, Age 8|91253|Ramona Quimby, Age 8 (Ramona, #6)|Beverly Cleary|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1300270683s/91253.jpg|3014191] to [b:Ramona's World|91245|Ramona's World (Ramona, #8)|Beverly Cleary|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1388806722s/91245.jpg|2029654]. show less

I don't have much to say about this one. It seems more workmanlike to me, written for her audience rather than for herself. The drama of the father's job hunt, the rich uncle, the new baby... all seems forced because Cleary needed to say things about those issues to her young readers....

I don't know. Maybe I'm reading them too fast. Maybe if I take a break I'll feel the 'heart' that was evident in the earlier books.

(Reading for Children's Books group, Fiction Club, June/July 2021.)

Ramona is sick and tired of going over to Mrs. Kemp’s after school while her mom and dad are at work. Mrs. Kemp’s rich son has come back from Saudi Arabia and he teases Ramona incessantly. Mrs. Kemp, herself, is always snapping at Ramona, telling her she needs to act her age. But Ramona IS acting her age! She and her sister, Beezus, are suspicious that their mother may be hiding a big secret in her belly and they both hope that will mean no more Mrs. Kemp and soon. Beverly Cleary’s classic sixth installment of the Ramona Series gives readers another glimpse into the precocious third-grader’s world and her struggles to be grown-up without being too grown-up. Ramona is a fantastic, utterly accessible heroine whose honesty and show more sincerity makes it look like writing her is easy. But only Cleary can instill the ideal balance of innocence and mischievousness that makes up Ramona. Tracey Dockray’s wispy pencil sketches are swishy and characteristic of Ramona, but they lack the gawky, lip-chewing perfection that was Louis Darling’s original cover art. A good choice for young readers facing the introduction of a new little sibling. Recommended for ages 7-9. show less