Beezus and Ramona Book

Returning to my childhood, I picked up this cute piece for my current book challenge. Beatrice 'Beezus' and Ramona Quimby share an interesting sisterhood connection. Ramona is that annoying four year-old, seeking her own independence and annoying a much older (9-10) and mature Beezus, in this collection of short stories. Ramona finds herself fixated on a certain book, the desire to join in the fun with the older children, and even to throw herself a party. Beezus is left to process all that her sister is doing and seeks to right all the wrongs, while utilising her parents' desire for a calm life to keep Ramona in line. However, Beezus must come to realise that even if she does not like Ramona all the time, she loves her sister with all her being. These tales pave the way for an entire collection of adventures these sisters will have, bringing a number of other friends and family members along. Sure to entertain the young person in your life, Cleary shows that sibling rivalry and love surpasses the test of time. Perfect for young readers who are learning to discover the passion of books.

I remember reading these books and watching the associated television program in my youth. While I also had a younger sister, nothing was as over the top as the antics that Ramona seems to create for those around her. This first in the series is sure to open the way for many adventures that the young reader can discover, seeing how Beezus and Ramona tackle some of the issues that seemed to face young people at the time. Without the aid of video games or hours of television on hundreds of channels, the Quimby girls had to find their own entertainment, which sometimes led to outlandish adventures. While I would not have picked these stories up on my own, doing so has allowed me to tap into my childhood again, much as devouring stories of chocolate factories or errant Christmas pageants might as well. With a young son just discovering the wonders of books, I hope to be able to pass along these types of stories to show him the wonders of books and how fun the experience can be. Books open the mind and the soul, which is something that Beverly Cleary has fostered in this wonderful series.

Kudos, Madam Cleary, for reminding me of the wonders of early independent reading. I will pass along this passion to Neo and anyone else I can.

This book fulfills Topic #5 of Equinox #2 Book Challenge: The Earliest Remembered Chapter Book Read in Childhood

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