I'm less impressed than the Newberry judges. Ramona father has lost his job and her mother goes full time but still the family budget is tight and family fun is rare. Ramona and her sister badger their dad to quit smoking - worried for his health and to save the expense. Every one remains remarkably even keeled and some fun is had. No lasting devastation. ( )

Book 4 of 8 ( )

Another Ramona re-read for me. Ramona is back in second grade; and her father has lost his job. Ramona faces her usual grade-school trials and tribulations, but this time her troubles are driven mainly by family dynamics. Everyone is short-tempered, and the cat doesn't like the cheap cat food, so he eats the jack-o-lantern. Beezus fights with the parents, which makes Ramona cry. She's reassured repeatedly that the family will get another pumpkin to carve, but that's not the issue. "Didn't grown-ups think children worried about anything but jack-o-lanterns? Didn't they know children worried about grown-ups?"

It's not all down. Ramona and her friend Howie make coffee-can stilts and delight in stomping all over the sidewalk belting out "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall." It takes them all through the evening through a rain shower, but they make it from 99 down to 1. Huzzah! I love the young Ramona who delights in noise.

And the final episode, where Ramona participates in the church nativity scene dressed in a home-made ragtag sheep costume, is priceless. Ramona Forever! ( )

This book is a series that follows a young girl Ramona and the books have different life lessons and adventures of Ramona. They are all easy reads and great for children who are getting more skilled in reading but can't get to full chapter books yet. They are for the secondary readers and I would use these in the classroom to introduce short chapter books. This story is about Ramona and her dad and their relationship. He looses his job and the rest of the family is also going through hard things and she has to figure out how to handle the chaos. ( )

Ramona Quimby books are some of the most beloved easy chapter books. This book opens up on the Quimby family. Ramona is used to her father's pay day and him bringing home gifts, but sadly her father gets laid off. With him out of a job, her mother now has to move to a full-time job and is unable to be at home as much. They all have to make small accommodations like being more aware of the money they spend. Ramona is happy to have her father home, but he is not in the best mood with the circumstances. The family figures out how to adjust with the situation.
These books are great for young readers around second and third grade. They are fun and entertaining books. They have an engaging story and contain some silly ideas.