Book Review: Ramona and Her Mother by Beverly Cleary

 

 

Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons,

   

   Ramona and Her Mother by Beverly Cleary is the fifth in the class children's book series. Published in 1979 by Dell for their Yearling book series, this delightful story is filled with nostalgia for me. Being a child of the 70s, I remember having dog-eared copies of this series in my book bag in elementary school. 

  In this laugh-out-loud tale of growing up, we meet a seven-year-old Ramona Quimby. She is halfway to being eight and wishes her mother would treat her like she does her older sister, Beezus. But Ramona has a knack for getting into mischief, which leads to scolding and embarrassing incidents. At this rate, she will never be as loved as her sister.

  Ramona and Her Mother was a fun and relaxing read that had me laughing so hard I cried. It is filled with hijinx that involves a bottle of dye, a tube of toothpaste, and fuzzy new pajamas. It is filled with funny side characters, crazy road trips, and lessons learned. This is a perfect short read for anyone in a book slump. Or for someone who wants to be lifted up from a bad day. Cleary knows how to write kids and her books have helped many (myself included) navigate Kiddom.        

    I read this with the brilliant Stockard Channing (Rizzo, Grease) narrating. Channing's ability to go from seven years old to an adult is remarkable. She made me think I was listening to a child telling her story. She is one of the best narrators for children's audiobooks; thankfully, she narrates almost all of Cleary's works.  

    Ramona and Her Mother was a five-star read for me. It was pure Gen-X nostalgia that left me smiling. Reading is important for the future of this world's children. I appreciate the encouragement I received as a child to read. My mother always encouraged me to write the best book reports I could. I am sure she is smiling down at me since it led me to this blog and writing a novel.

     Let me know what you are reading in the comments below.

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