Product Description

This wonderful Ramona Box Set, by Beverly Cleary, contains four books: Ramona the Brave, Ramona the Pest, Beezus and Ramona, and Ramona Quimby, Age 8.

Beezus tries very hard to be patient with her little sister, but four-your-old Ramona has a habit of doing the most unpredictable, annoying, embarrassing things in the world. Sometimes Beezus doesn't like Ramona much, and that makes her feel guilty. Sisters are supposed to love each other, but pesky little Ramona doesn't seem very lovable to Beezus right now.

Ramona is off to kindergarten, and it is the greatest day of her life. She loves her teacher, Miss Binney, and she likes a little boy named Davy so much she wants to kiss him. So why does Ramona get in so much trouble? And how does Ramona manage to disrupt the whole class during rest time? Anyone who knows Ramona knows that she never tries to be a pest.

Now that she's six and entering the first grade, Ramona is determined to be brave, but it's not always easy, with a scary new all-by-herself bedroom, her mother's new job, and a new teacher who just doesn't understand how hard Ramona is trying to grow up.

Ramona feels quite grown up taking the bus by herself, helping big sister Beezus make dinner, and trying hard to be nice to pesky Willa Jean after school. Turning eight years old and entering the third grade can do that to a girl. So how can her teacher call her a nuisance? Being a member of the Quimby family in the third grade is harder than Ramona expected.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #611418 in Books
• Published on: 1999-09-01
• Format: Box set
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 4
• Binding: Paperback

About the Author
Beverly Cleary was born in McMinnville, Oregon, and, until she was old enough to attend school, lived on a farm in Yamhill, a town so small it had no library. Her mother arranged with the State Library to have books sent to Yamhill and acted as librarian in a lodge room upstairs over a bank. There Mrs. Cleary learned to love books. When the family moved to Portland, where Mrs. Cleary attended grammar school and high school, she soon found herself in the low reading circle, an experience that has given her sympathy for the problems of struggling readers. By the third grade she had conquered reading and spent much of her childhood either with books or on her way to and from the public library. Before long her school librarian was suggesting that she should write for boys and girls when she grew up. The idea appealed to her, and she decided that someday she would write the books she longed to read but was unable to find on the library shelves, funny stories about her neighborhood and the sort of children she knew.

After graduation from junior college in Ontario, California, and the University of California at Berkeley, Mrs. Cleary entered the School of Librarianship at the University of Washington, Seattle. There she specialized in library work with children. She was Children's Librarian in Yakima, Washington, until she married Clarence Cleary and moved to California. The Clearys are the parents of twins, now grown. Mrs. Cleary's hobbies are travel and needlework.

Mrs. Cleary's books have earned her many prestigious awards, including the 1984 John Newbery Medal for Dear Mr. Henshaw, for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children in 1983. Her Ramona and Her Father and Ramona Quimby, Age 8 were named 1978 and 1982 Newbery Honor Books, respectively. Among Mrs. Cleary's other awards are the American Library Association's 1975 Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, the Catholic Library Association's 1980 Regina Medal, and the University of Southern Mississippi's 1982 Silver Medallion, all presented in recognition of her lasting contribution to children's literature. In addition, Mrs. Cleary was the 1984 United States author nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Award, a prestigious international award. Equally important are the more than 35 statewide awards Mrs. Cleary's books have received based on the direct votes of her young readers. The Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden for Children featuring bronze statues of Ramona Quimby, Henry Huggins, and Ribsy, was recently opened in Portland, Oregon.

This witty and warm author is truly an international favorite. Mrs. Cleary's books appear in over twenty countries in fourteen languages and her characters, including Henry Huggins, Ellen Tebbits, Otis Spofford, and Beezus and Ramona Quimby, as well as Ribsy, Socks, and Ralph S. Mouse, have delighted children for generations. There have been Japanese, Spanish, and Swedish television programs based on the Henry Huggins series. PBS-TV aired a ten-part series based on the Ramona stories. One-hour adaptations of the three Ralph S. Mouse books have been shown on ABC-TV. All of Mrs. Cleary's adaptations still can be seen on cable television, and the Ramona adaptations are available in video stores.

Customer Reviews

Still a favorite
I read these books as a child, and loved them. Ramona deals with childhood tribulations (fear of going to the principal's office, worrying about her family when her father loses his job, having to play with her friend's little sister whom she detests) that most children experience in some variation, and so a child can identify with her as they read and feel reassured by the fact that they are not the only one who has gone through these things. Also, many of her mischevious adventures are so entertaining and wonderful (for instance, when she makes a "toothpaste cake" in the bathroom sink using the entire tube of toothpaste). Even as an adult, I still find myself reaching for these sometimes to be reassured by an old friend and to re-live a childhood comfort.

Amazing Book!
This book is a good book for all ages because it's funny and it reminds you of yourself and your siblings when you were young. Once you read this book you will want to read all the other Beverly Cleary books. I recommend this book to all the people out there who likes reading Beverly Cleary books. I rate this book 5 stars because it's a funny and good book.

Timeless Childrens Classics for Young and Old
I grew up loving Ramona books and 20 years later I still love and remember them. Ramona is every girl-her worries, troubles, joys are true of all girls. She is funny, tricky, a worrier and a fun seeker. She loves her family and as she goes through life we get to learn the lessons with her, watching her fall as well as succeed-making us laugh all the while. These books are something that young and old can enjoy together-they stand the test of time.