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iamthelizardqueen's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Takes me back to third grade.
joelevard's review against another edition
5.0
I think this is the best of the series. My 6-year-old daughter likes them all interchangeably though, so what do I know.
nukie19's review against another edition
5.0
I was reminded of this series of books when my daughter's teacher said that she reminded her of Ramona. This was one of the series I remembered most so I picked it up to reread and I was drawn right back into the Quimby family. It definitely is inspiring me to pick up some of the others in the series to read with my daughter!
kazach84's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
drcopeland's review against another edition
4.0
Such great kid books...brings back good memories....
ikuo1000's review against another edition
4.0
In this book, Ramona is in third grade, and she starts to mature. There's a boy in her class who could have become a bully to her, but with the right attitude and some clever thinking, she managed to turn the relationship into one of respectful teasing. She doesn't cause as much trouble in this book, which on the one hand makes for less interesting reading, but on the other hand makes me feel (as a parent!) hopeful that the difficult behavior I see in Isabelle really might just be, at least in part, a function of her age. :P
While Ramona had had misunderstandings with her teachers before, this time, it becomes personal, and for the first time, Ramona struggles with the idea that some people - even grown-ups - actually might not like her.
As usual, Beverly Cleary effectively gets inside Ramona's head, and you get a good sense of what really matters in the world of a third grader.
As for Isabelle, she says she liked the part when Ramona made a cat mask for her oral book report. In the books, Ramona is very creative and artistic, and when she gets assigned an oral book report, she comes up with a really clever way of doing it. She throws herself into her project and is proud of her work. Even if Isabelle only remembered this part of the book because of the silliness factor, it's nice that it also had a have-fun-with-your-work-and-be-proud-of-what-you-can-do component.
While Ramona had had misunderstandings with her teachers before, this time, it becomes personal, and for the first time, Ramona struggles with the idea that some people - even grown-ups - actually might not like her.
As usual, Beverly Cleary effectively gets inside Ramona's head, and you get a good sense of what really matters in the world of a third grader.
As for Isabelle, she says she liked the part when Ramona made a cat mask for her oral book report. In the books, Ramona is very creative and artistic, and when she gets assigned an oral book report, she comes up with a really clever way of doing it. She throws herself into her project and is proud of her work. Even if Isabelle only remembered this part of the book because of the silliness factor, it's nice that it also had a have-fun-with-your-work-and-be-proud-of-what-you-can-do component.
ms_aprilvincent's review against another edition
4.0
I was looking for nostalgia, okay?
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This was the first Ramona book I read, though it's not the first in the series. I remember distinctly that I read it in the car as we were going from Mississippi to Virginia after visiting my grandparents--and loved it.
〰
Ramona seemed real to me, because she messed up and she felt insecure and she worried about her family. She wondered if her teacher liked her and she hated that a cursive Q looks like a fancy 2. These are all things we had/have in common.
〰
As an adult, I still found Ramona to be more authentic than most children written today. She's not saving the world, having an identity crisis, or living through an apocalypse; she's just being in 3rd grade and working out how to be "good" by adult standards while still making decisions that allow her to be herself.
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This book was published in the 80s but I'd give it to any kid without hesitation. Shoot, I'd give it to grown up people, because sometimes people need to be reminded that childhood wasn't always as easy as we remember it.
wickedplutoswickedreading's review against another edition
5.0
Some parts of this clearly date the book. However, a lot of it is timeless. Most people have had teachers they were unsure of, classmates who picked on them, embarrased themselves at school, worried about things that are beyond their control or ken (especially as a small child), or felt the unfairness of being a kid when you are bossed around.
What's more, this book, (for such a thin little thing for small children to read), tackles some very big things. Like worrying about divorce or parents losing their jobs or being very aware of money troubles. It takes these big things and makes it....normal. Or normal enough that if you're a kid dealing with that, here's a book where another kid dealt with that. You are not alone.
I don't think I appreciated that as a kid. I most certainly do as an adult.
What's more, this book, (for such a thin little thing for small children to read), tackles some very big things. Like worrying about divorce or parents losing their jobs or being very aware of money troubles. It takes these big things and makes it....normal. Or normal enough that if you're a kid dealing with that, here's a book where another kid dealt with that. You are not alone.
I don't think I appreciated that as a kid. I most certainly do as an adult.