Happy Birthday Beverly Cleary! ~ Beloved Author of the Ramona Series

Henry and the Paper Route

The Mouse and the Motorcycle

Beezus and Ramona

Ribsy

Socks

Ramona the Pest

Do you recognize any of these classic children's stories?  For many, these stories bring back warm memories of childhood.  These books and many more were written by American author Beverly Cleary.  Today she turns 103!

At our little yellow school, our afternoons begin by coming together to listen to a few pages from a chapter book.  It is a precious part of our day.  Beverly Cleary's Ramona stories are some of our favourites.  We were first introduced to a four year old Ramona in Beezus and Ramona (1955).  We have followed her adventures and growth through Ramona the Pest (1968) and Ramona the Brave (1975).  We are currently immersed in Ramona and her Father (1977).

A Few of the Ramona Series Books

Ramona Geraldine Quimby began as an accidental character in Cleary's book Henry Huggins (1950).  Cleary kept having story ideas for Ramona and wrote Beezus and Ramona in 1955.  More books followed.  The last book in the series was written in 1999.   

Although the books were written so long ago, they continue to resonate with children. Ramona is an energetic and curious little girl with a complex personality that changes as she matures.  She deals with things that the children deal with such as parents, siblings, pets, teachers, bullies and tattletales.  We empathize with Ramona as she deals with her feelings - being afraid, emotional, jealous and impulsive.  As we read about her adventures, we are all rooting for her.

We asked the children why they like Ramona.

"We love the stories so much!  Remember when she pulled Susan's boing boing curls and crushed her paper owl? "

"She gets into all kinds of funny trouble!  Sometimes she has a noisy fuss.  That's a meltdown."

Ramona making a great big noisy fuss.

"Remember when Ramona was so angry and wanted to say a bad word.  She said 'Guts, guts, guts!'  It was funny!"

Ramona and Beezus

One of our six year olds was very reflective.

"The way she acts reminds you of how you were when you were little."

Thank you, Beverly Cleary, for the characters and stories that you shared with us. 

"She was not a slowpoke grownup.  She was a girl who could not wait.  Life was so interesting she had to find out what happened next." - Ramona the Pest