Beezus and Ramona (Ramona #1)

25 Books to Read Before You Die: Pacific Northwest Edition

A consummate selection of books written by Pacific Northwest authors.

I have always been the Beezus to my sister Faith’s Ramona. I have so many fond early memories of our parents reading this series aloud to us (and later to my youngest sister, whose arrival paralleled Roberta’s and cemented in our minds that this series was somehow Meant For Us) that for a long time, “reading” and “Beverly Cleary” were practically synonymous in my mind. On our first childhood trip to Portland, the two most important stops on our list were the nigh-mythical Powell’s Books and Klickitat Street, so we could say we’d been where Beezus and Ramona grew up. Beezus and Ramona was first published in 1955, but its pitch-perfect portrayal of sisterhood — “I love her, but I don’t have to like her!” — is just as compelling and relatable today, as is Beezus’s chafing against her reputation as the “responsible” one, and Ramona’s incredible, heartwarming capacity for mischief. Recommended By Madeline S., Powells.com

Newbery Award-winner Beverly Cleary delivers a humorous portayal of the ups and downs of sisterhood. Both the younger and older siblings of the family will enjoy this book.

Having a little sister like four-year-old Ramona isn't always easy for Beezus Quimby. With a wild imagination, disregard for order, and an appetite for chaos, Ramona makes it hard for Beezus to be the responsible older sister she knows she ought to be...especially when Ramona threatens to ruin Beezus's birthday party. Will Beezus find the patience to handle her little sister before Ramona turns her big day into a complete disaster?

"An important reminder of the good that can come when you throw yourself fully into any situation and draw outside the lines," says Brightly.com in their article "12 Girls from Fiction Who Are Their Own Heroes."

"Younger kids love Ramona's can-do brand of chaos, while older kids can likely identify with Beezus's big-sister frustrations." Brightly

"Ramona's adventures ring as true as the recess bell." New York Times

Beverly Cleary is one of America's most beloved authors. As a child, she struggled with reading and writing. But by third grade, after spending much time in her public library in Portland, Oregon, she found her skills had greatly improved. Before long, her school librarian was saying that she should write children's books when she grew up.

Instead she became a librarian. When a young boy asked her, "Where are the books about kids like us?" she remembered her teacher's encouragement and was inspired to write the books she'd longed to read but couldn't find when she was younger. She based her funny stories on her own neighborhood experiences and the sort of children she knew. And so, the Klickitat Street gang was born!

Mrs. Cleary's books have earned her many prestigious awards, including the American Library Association's Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, presented to her in recognition of her lasting contribution to children's literature. Dear Mr. Henshaw won the Newbery Medal, and Ramona Quimby, Age 8 and Ramona and Her Father have been named Newbery Honor Books. Her characters, including Beezus and Ramona Quimby, Henry Huggins, and Ralph, the motorcycle-riding mouse, have delighted children for generations.

Jaqueline Rogers has been a professional children's book illustrator for more than twenty years and has worked on nearly one hundred children's books.