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johnnymacaroni's review against another edition
5.0
I love the Ramona books on audio...so funny. Stockard Channing is a wonderful narrator.
mbrandmaier's review
3.0
Lighthearted, fun continuation of the Ramona books that I read as a child. Ramona is now in fourth grade and gets a new best friend. She also disagrees with the concept that she should know how to spell words, and is learning to be a responsible babysitter and catsitter. Even though it was published in 1999, book has an old timey feel to it that makes sense since the other books were written so many more years ago. There are no mentions of cell phones or the Internet, and at one point Ramona even mails a letter to someone whose advertisement was in the newspaper. (Mailing a letter? Newspaper? What the what?)
situationnormal's review against another edition
4.0
Now I'm super sad because the series is over. I love the bb Ramona who was constantly getting into a ton of trouble, but the slightly grown up Ramona is almost as just fun and these books, for some reason, are tearjerkers for me. Something about kids feeling misunderstood is =(
All of that said, I'm a grown person and I definitely see myself re-reading these books. They're just as much fun now as they were when my mom read them to me as a kid.
All of that said, I'm a grown person and I definitely see myself re-reading these books. They're just as much fun now as they were when my mom read them to me as a kid.
lgpiper's review against another edition
3.0
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.
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.
readsewknit's review against another edition
4.0
Ramona is in fourth grade and is now a big sister. The new girl at school is Ramona's first female best friend, and things are generally looking up. There's a little bit of tension the first time she's expected to babysit for a few minutes (while also cat sitting), she's not sure she buys the value of learning to spell (especially when such achievements mean being given more challenging words), and she's got her first crush, on the boy she nicknamed Yard Ape in an earlier book (what sort of valentine is the right balance to strike?!). And, in familiar Ramona fashion, an unfortunate substitute for the word, "Cheese!" on school picture day results in a hilarious expression immortalized in film.
I've never read through all these books before, so it was a treat to experience the series in one month. Stockard Channing does a strong job narrating, and while I was working through these audiobooks on my own in stolen moments cooking, knitting, or folding laundry, whenever my girls were in the same room, they'd happily quiet and listen alongside, laughing or cringing at Ramona's situations. It's no wonder they're a treasured series, and Beverly Cleary a beloved author; she makes children feel seen and conveys that their emotions are valid.
I've never read through all these books before, so it was a treat to experience the series in one month. Stockard Channing does a strong job narrating, and while I was working through these audiobooks on my own in stolen moments cooking, knitting, or folding laundry, whenever my girls were in the same room, they'd happily quiet and listen alongside, laughing or cringing at Ramona's situations. It's no wonder they're a treasured series, and Beverly Cleary a beloved author; she makes children feel seen and conveys that their emotions are valid.
chelse34's review against another edition
4.0
Crazy to think we are done with Ramona! My oldest (age 7) really liked the series. Now we get to watch the movie!
I liked watching Ramona grow up book by book. We started with her at age 4 and ended at age 10. My favorite in this book was her falling through the ceiling.
I liked watching Ramona grow up book by book. We started with her at age 4 and ended at age 10. My favorite in this book was her falling through the ceiling.
erinmp's review against another edition
4.0
Oh, the last of the Ramona books. How I'll miss this pint-sized, spunky heroine. I have such fond memories of reading the Ramona books when I was a little girl. I'd never read this one since it was published when I was 21 and I wasn't quite interested in juvenile lit at the time. However, now it is so nice to be able to revisit and say goodbye to the girl who is so much like me when I was a child. Like the later Ramona books, this one didn't quite entertain me as much as the early books. Possibly because Ramona is growing up and learning to behave herself and not do *everything* that flitters into her mind. Nevertheless, as a fourth-grader with a new baby sister, Ramona has a lot going on. She finds a new best friend (actually her *first* best friend); she falls through a ceiling; she finds out that babysitting isn't quite the great experience she thinks it will be (neither is cat sitting, come to think of it); and she is about to be a teenager (well, zeroteenth).