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A review by maryehavens
Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary
5.0
The kids gave it five stars (or 7 if you are Jackson). Clearly, this book was one of my favorites as a child. I know this because I started remembering great details when I was reading it. Things like Bendix, the potholder Beezus was embroidering, applesauce and graham crackers (I fantasized this as the perfect snack because of this book), cotton candy/lollipop dragons, and muffin tins. Cleary just has a way with words that make them stick with you forever! She paints such a beautiful, wholesome (but not saccharine) view of the world that makes you want to jump into the Quimby's life, town, neighborhood, all of it!!
Now, as a parent, I see some issues with the whole situation. Why is Beezus made to watch Ramona so much? Why is Mrs. Quimby such a pushover with the other moms? Really? 15 kids under the age of 5 show up at your door on a rainy day and you just roll with it because you don't want to upset the other moms' plans to go shopping? And why did people want to get rid of their kids so much? What were they doing all day? (well, they were doing all the chores and things and didn't want kids to get underfoot. I get it but it seems strange in this day and age).
I still want to live in their world...maybe not as an adult or even a kid. As an observer. Maybe Aunt Beatrice....
Now, as a parent, I see some issues with the whole situation. Why is Beezus made to watch Ramona so much? Why is Mrs. Quimby such a pushover with the other moms? Really? 15 kids under the age of 5 show up at your door on a rainy day and you just roll with it because you don't want to upset the other moms' plans to go shopping? And why did people want to get rid of their kids so much? What were they doing all day? (well, they were doing all the chores and things and didn't want kids to get underfoot. I get it but it seems strange in this day and age).
I still want to live in their world...maybe not as an adult or even a kid. As an observer. Maybe Aunt Beatrice....