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suzangilly's review against another edition
5.0
Even though its been a good 18 years since reading the book (and I don't remember in its entirety now), this was the one that got me hooked onto reading as a kid. I remember going to my school library and constantly checking this book out till I bugged my parents enough to buy me my own copy (sadly lost it some years later)
Highly recommended for anyone just starting out in reading. You will fall in love with it.
Highly recommended for anyone just starting out in reading. You will fall in love with it.
harridansstew's review against another edition
2.0
The book is fine, even good. Clearly knows how to write children realistically, which I appreciate. Stockard Channing, however, was awful as a narrator. She speaks unevenly, even slurs words together, in a failed attempt to create different voices. I found myself constantly messing with the audio speed in an effort to keep up, but it didn't work.
notbanana's review against another edition
4.0
Ramona Quimby Age 8 / Beverly Cleary /
Genre: fiction
Format: juvenile fiction
Plot summary: The adventures of the Quimby family as Ramona enters the third grade. Part of a series of books featuring Ramona, her sister and friends.
Considerations: no red flags
Section source: ALA Notable Children's book
Recommended age: 8-10
Genre: fiction
Format: juvenile fiction
Plot summary: The adventures of the Quimby family as Ramona enters the third grade. Part of a series of books featuring Ramona, her sister and friends.
Considerations: no red flags
Section source: ALA Notable Children's book
Recommended age: 8-10
lgpiper's review against another edition
4.0
Well, I was "conned" into spending a few days in Queens, taking care of my 6-month old granddaughter, Ramona, while her parents were sampling beer in Germany...and other things, perhaps even a spot of "work". So, naturally, I had to read the next Ramona book to get into shape for the "ordeal", so to speak.
In this book, Ramona is now 8-years old, in third grade, and is going to a new school. She's old enough to ride the school bus on her own. Naturally, she gets some things wrong and has some issues learning to get along with the people in her class and with her teacher. She also gets stomach flue and vomits all over the place. But, of course, it all turns out ok in the end. I think Ramona in the book is almost as adorable as my Ramona.
In this book, Ramona is now 8-years old, in third grade, and is going to a new school. She's old enough to ride the school bus on her own. Naturally, she gets some things wrong and has some issues learning to get along with the people in her class and with her teacher. She also gets stomach flue and vomits all over the place. But, of course, it all turns out ok in the end. I think Ramona in the book is almost as adorable as my Ramona.
ebonyutley's review against another edition
3.0
Recently, I’ve been shocked, disappointed, horrified by a re-read of some of my favorite books as a kid. So when I saw Ramona Quimby, Age 8 at the free little library, I had to revisit. I remember loving this book. I really wanted to not hate it as an adult. I am happy to report that I didn’t hate it. I can see why Beverly Cleary won all the awards she did for her children’s books. She was all up in the mind of an 8-year-old.
Most of the book is in Ramona’s mind. Not much actually happens. As an adult that loves plot, at first, I wasn’t sure what kid me saw in this book. Then I realized that Ramona’s anxiety about all the things summed my kid existence. She worries about her parents, her teacher, her friends, her responsibilities, her behavior. Everything that happens in the adult world is internalized by Ramona. Same as me. Well, hell, then and now. I must have found comfort in that familiarity as a child. It must have been nice to know that my worries were shared by my favorite heroine in a story where everything worked out okay in the end. It’s not a fairy tale (which I didn’t dig as a kid) but a slice of everyday life where there are good days and bad days, but everything works out okay.
I also had no memory of how working class the Quimby’s were. Like, no memory. Perhaps, because it seemed so normal. My parents never told me how much money they made. We didn’t spend the night at other people’s houses so I didn’t have anything to compare my existence to. My aunts and uncles lived pretty much like we did. I suppose I would have thought the Quimby’s life was as it should be.
As an adult, I read novels about families with various levels of class privilege, but it doesn’t stand out to me. The author sets the scene and I rock with it. I suppose that the emphasis on a broken car and not enough money to pay the bills or eat at the burger joint stands out now because as a kid no one talked to me about money. Adult me still thinks we should shelter kids from class. Which is ridiculous and also not completely how I grew up if I loved this book. Again, this book is important because the Quimby world is so normal. It’s not a fairy tale, it’s not perfect, it’s not lifestyles of the rich and famous. That banality must be comforting for kids. It must have been for the me I’m remembering through Ramona Quimby, age 8.
Most of the book is in Ramona’s mind. Not much actually happens. As an adult that loves plot, at first, I wasn’t sure what kid me saw in this book. Then I realized that Ramona’s anxiety about all the things summed my kid existence. She worries about her parents, her teacher, her friends, her responsibilities, her behavior. Everything that happens in the adult world is internalized by Ramona. Same as me. Well, hell, then and now. I must have found comfort in that familiarity as a child. It must have been nice to know that my worries were shared by my favorite heroine in a story where everything worked out okay in the end. It’s not a fairy tale (which I didn’t dig as a kid) but a slice of everyday life where there are good days and bad days, but everything works out okay.
I also had no memory of how working class the Quimby’s were. Like, no memory. Perhaps, because it seemed so normal. My parents never told me how much money they made. We didn’t spend the night at other people’s houses so I didn’t have anything to compare my existence to. My aunts and uncles lived pretty much like we did. I suppose I would have thought the Quimby’s life was as it should be.
As an adult, I read novels about families with various levels of class privilege, but it doesn’t stand out to me. The author sets the scene and I rock with it. I suppose that the emphasis on a broken car and not enough money to pay the bills or eat at the burger joint stands out now because as a kid no one talked to me about money. Adult me still thinks we should shelter kids from class. Which is ridiculous and also not completely how I grew up if I loved this book. Again, this book is important because the Quimby world is so normal. It’s not a fairy tale, it’s not perfect, it’s not lifestyles of the rich and famous. That banality must be comforting for kids. It must have been for the me I’m remembering through Ramona Quimby, age 8.
readsewknit's review against another edition
4.0
I found this installment in the Ramona series to be amusing to listen to because my youngest is also an eight-year-old third grader, and my oldest is in junior high.
The family has settled into a routine of sorts, with the dad going back to college to be an art teacher, and the family adjusting accordingly. Ramona suffers through afternoons with Howie, his little sister, and his grandma, and does what she can to convince her parents to let her join into school fads (like hard-boiled eggs packed in lunches, that one can crack on one's forehead in spectacular fashion).
Ramona experiences the horrifying moment if being sick at school in front of her class but survives, and later wows her class with a book report in the vein of a TV commercial.
The family has settled into a routine of sorts, with the dad going back to college to be an art teacher, and the family adjusting accordingly. Ramona suffers through afternoons with Howie, his little sister, and his grandma, and does what she can to convince her parents to let her join into school fads (like hard-boiled eggs packed in lunches, that one can crack on one's forehead in spectacular fashion).
Ramona experiences the horrifying moment if being sick at school in front of her class but survives, and later wows her class with a book report in the vein of a TV commercial.
chelse34's review against another edition
3.0
This wasn't my favorite of the Ramona books, but it was still enjoyable with the egg on the head, getting called a nuisance, and the book report. Ramona is definitely growing up as the books continue.
buffy_garden's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
4.5
It feels bittersweet as Ramona and Beezus grow up, but I continue to love the family and their journeys.
katy82's review against another edition
5.0
Loved it gorwing up and now my daughter and I are reading it together. Brings back a lot of memories.