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abigailbat's review against another edition
5.0
The audio recording of this title, narrated by Stockard Channing, is great. The Ramona books have been favorites of mine since I was first reading chapter books and this recorded really did the book justice. Highly recommended for family car trips. I'll definitely be picking up more of the Ramona audiobooks!
amynbell's review against another edition
3.0
You know, what I like about this series of children's books is also what I dislike. They're too realistic and also not at all realistic. I like that the book depicts real grownup problems alongside real kid problems: a father losing his job, having to scrimp and save for a real haircut, only having one pair of pajamas that fit and accidentally leaving them at school (long story). But it eats me that the scenarios in the book wouldn't work very well in 2016 as they did in 1977. This young family already owns their home and only has to pay back a loan payment for a room add-on. The mother is the only person with an income (at a minimum-wage-type job) and can pay all the bills plus tuition for her husband to go back to school. Yes, money is tight, but in 2016, I can't see this scenario being even possible ... which is sad.
sharonfalduto's review against another edition
Reading through this one with my 7 year old, who is now the same age as Ramona, since we're going backwards through the series apparently. Sammi thinks there wasn't enough of Ramona's mother in this book.
jessalynn_librarian's review against another edition
5.0
We listened to the first half on one car trip and the second half on another. It's amazing how well Ramona stands the test of time - Cleary really manages to tap into universal childhood and family issues. I love the way the parents emerge as fuller characters as the series goes on, and the way issues like job loss, parents arguing, and limited income are shown realistically but approachably.
renatasnacks's review against another edition
5.0
An all-time legend, I stan <3
http://www.frowl.org/worstbestsellers/episode-102-ramona-and-her-mother/
http://www.frowl.org/worstbestsellers/episode-102-ramona-and-her-mother/
vanessakm's review against another edition
4.0
Beezus looked over her shoulder. “Is that toothpaste?” she asked in disbelief.
Ramona scowled because she did not know what else to do.
“Mother!”
.....
“Get a spoon and a jar from the kitchen,” directed Mrs Quimby, “and scoop up the toothpaste.” Then she said to Beezus, “She can use it herself, and the rest of us can use a fresh tube.”
Somehow Ramona felt sad knowing she was about to be excluded from the family tube of toothpaste for a long time. And she wished her mother would not speak to Beezus as if she were not in the room.
“Ramona,” said her mother, “don’t you ever let me catch you squeezing out a whole tube of toothpaste again.”
“I won’t,” promised Ramona, and as she went off to the kitchen for a jar and a spoon she felt unexpectedly cheerful. She had done something she had always wanted to do. Of course she would never squeeze out a whole tube of toothpaste again. She had done it once. She did not need to do it again.
This is the fifth book in the Ramona series, and is a bookend to the previous book, [b:Ramona and Her Father|91247|Ramona and Her Father (Ramona, #4)|Beverly Cleary|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1408925643l/91247._SY75_.jpg|708860]. Although it was published two years later, it picks up a few weeks after the last book left off. When last we saw the Quimby’s, the girls had just been in the Christmas pageant and her father was due to begin a new job at the grocery after being out of work for months. Ramona is still in 2nd grade, Beezus is in 7th.
(And Cleary finally makes open references about the story being set in Portland, Oregon.)
It’s now New Year’s and the Quimby’s are throwing a neighborhood brunch. While Beezus helps her mother serve food and hangs out with the adults, Ramona is relegated to the indignity of babysitting her friend Howie’s (bratty) sister, Willa Jean, in the kitchen. Two outcomes of this brunch will affect Ramona for the rest of the book: someone compares Willa Jean to a younger Ramona (how very dare they) and Ramona's mother tells a guest she’d never get by without Beezus.
Wait!! What about Ramona? Doesn’t her mother need her?
Ramona is a bright and creative girl, but as we’ve seen before, that also makes her an anxious one. And so as the family weathers trials and comical misadventures of various types—Beezus’ disastrous trip to a student hairdresser, Ramona and Howie having their checkers games constantly interrupted by Willa Jean (not for nothing, exactly like Ramona once did to Beezus and Henry), Ramona’s father hating his new job—Ramona is concerned that maybe her mom doesn’t love her as much as she does her perfect older sister.
This is where Cleary is brilliant at getting into the heads of her young protagonists. When Ramona tries and fails to make a pair of pants for her stuffed elephant and throws a tantrum, it’s not really about the pants. It’s about wanting to bond with her mother through sewing and failing on that task, while Beezus and Mrs. Quimby have a friendly, harmonious time (again!) hemming one of her skirts.
Sometimes you get so frustrated when you can’t express yourself, you just have to give in to that urge to squeeze a plump, fresh tube of toothpaste. And NOT from the bottom.
Everything is resolved of course, although there are always loose ends because Cleary’s world is a sweet but realistic one. Mr. Quimby will be quitting his job and going back to school and I’m sure there will be more to come on that in the next book.
I’ve been off work for a few months for surgery, and for whatever reason concentrating on books is difficult (and I’m soooooo tired of television.) I’ve enjoyed revisiting this series with adult eyes and observing how well and thoughtfully Cleary pulls these stories off.
Ramona scowled because she did not know what else to do.
“Mother!”
.....
“Get a spoon and a jar from the kitchen,” directed Mrs Quimby, “and scoop up the toothpaste.” Then she said to Beezus, “She can use it herself, and the rest of us can use a fresh tube.”
Somehow Ramona felt sad knowing she was about to be excluded from the family tube of toothpaste for a long time. And she wished her mother would not speak to Beezus as if she were not in the room.
“Ramona,” said her mother, “don’t you ever let me catch you squeezing out a whole tube of toothpaste again.”
“I won’t,” promised Ramona, and as she went off to the kitchen for a jar and a spoon she felt unexpectedly cheerful. She had done something she had always wanted to do. Of course she would never squeeze out a whole tube of toothpaste again. She had done it once. She did not need to do it again.
This is the fifth book in the Ramona series, and is a bookend to the previous book, [b:Ramona and Her Father|91247|Ramona and Her Father (Ramona, #4)|Beverly Cleary|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1408925643l/91247._SY75_.jpg|708860]. Although it was published two years later, it picks up a few weeks after the last book left off. When last we saw the Quimby’s, the girls had just been in the Christmas pageant and her father was due to begin a new job at the grocery after being out of work for months. Ramona is still in 2nd grade, Beezus is in 7th.
(And Cleary finally makes open references about the story being set in Portland, Oregon.)
It’s now New Year’s and the Quimby’s are throwing a neighborhood brunch. While Beezus helps her mother serve food and hangs out with the adults, Ramona is relegated to the indignity of babysitting her friend Howie’s (bratty) sister, Willa Jean, in the kitchen. Two outcomes of this brunch will affect Ramona for the rest of the book: someone compares Willa Jean to a younger Ramona (how very dare they) and Ramona's mother tells a guest she’d never get by without Beezus.
Wait!! What about Ramona? Doesn’t her mother need her?
Ramona is a bright and creative girl, but as we’ve seen before, that also makes her an anxious one. And so as the family weathers trials and comical misadventures of various types—Beezus’ disastrous trip to a student hairdresser, Ramona and Howie having their checkers games constantly interrupted by Willa Jean (not for nothing, exactly like Ramona once did to Beezus and Henry), Ramona’s father hating his new job—Ramona is concerned that maybe her mom doesn’t love her as much as she does her perfect older sister.
This is where Cleary is brilliant at getting into the heads of her young protagonists. When Ramona tries and fails to make a pair of pants for her stuffed elephant and throws a tantrum, it’s not really about the pants. It’s about wanting to bond with her mother through sewing and failing on that task, while Beezus and Mrs. Quimby have a friendly, harmonious time (again!) hemming one of her skirts.
Sometimes you get so frustrated when you can’t express yourself, you just have to give in to that urge to squeeze a plump, fresh tube of toothpaste. And NOT from the bottom.
Everything is resolved of course, although there are always loose ends because Cleary’s world is a sweet but realistic one. Mr. Quimby will be quitting his job and going back to school and I’m sure there will be more to come on that in the next book.
I’ve been off work for a few months for surgery, and for whatever reason concentrating on books is difficult (and I’m soooooo tired of television.) I’ve enjoyed revisiting this series with adult eyes and observing how well and thoughtfully Cleary pulls these stories off.
heykellyjensen's review against another edition
I love how complex we see the family relationships and situations are. That a haircut out of the house is such a luxury.
But the kicker for me was mom coming in and helping Ramona pack to run away. Actual LOL.
But the kicker for me was mom coming in and helping Ramona pack to run away. Actual LOL.
leggs22's review against another edition
4.0
The kids have spoken, Picky-picky was not theirs again (we were quite disappointed) but we still laughed out loud!
samwescott's review against another edition
5.0
This was really lovely. I’m glad we’re getting to see Ramona dealing with slightly more nuanced emotions as she ages. It’s cool to watch her struggle with having certain emotional expectations for other people and slowly becoming more self-aware and protective of her dignity. This author has such a keen eye for the way children think and express themselves.