Seven-and-a-half-year-old Ramona worries that her busy, working mother loves her sister more, and sets out to prove she is needed
Is anyone paying attention?
Ramona Quimby is seven and a half, and things at home have changed. Her mother has gone back to work, the family is short of money, and everyone seems tired and cross. Beezus is the grown-up, helpful daughter, while Ramona feels like the one who always gets in trouble. More than anything, she wants to hear her mother say that she could not get along without her.
Who will enjoy it
Readers who love the Ramona books, children adjusting to changes at home, and parents who want a gentle story about feeling loved.
What you will get
A warm and honest Ramona story about a spirited girl who longs to know that her busy, working mother truly needs her, with plenty of comic mishaps along the way.
Ramona and Her Mother Facts: Pages, Genre and Setting
Genre
Children’s Books · Family life · Working mother · Growing up
Length
224 pages · ≈ 7 h
More about this book
As always with Ramona, good intentions go hilariously wrong. She squeezes out an entire tube of toothpaste just to see what it feels like, struggles to look after a demanding younger neighbour, and tries hard to prove how useful and grown-up she can be at home. Beezus has her own trials, including a haircut that does not go to plan, and the sisters' rivalry and affection are drawn with great care.
Cleary also lets real family tension into the story. Ramona's parents argue, money is tight and adults are not always patient, and Cleary shows these moments through a child's eyes without making them frightening. The famous scene in which Ramona decides to run away, and her mother responds in a surprising way, is a small masterpiece of kindness and wisdom.
Readers expecting a single strong plot may find it episodic, but the emotional arc is clear and satisfying. It won a National Book Award and remains one of the most tender books in the series. Alan Tiegreen's original drawings and later reillustrations both capture Ramona's energy, and the short chapters suit reading aloud. About 224 pages in the HarperCollins paperback.
Ramona Forever
Ramona the Pest
Ramona Quimby, Age 8
Ramona and Her Father
Beezus and Ramona
Little Town on the Prairie
Smile
Make Way for Ducklings
Sarah, Plain and Tall
The Borrowers
The Saturdays
Llama Llama Mad at Mama