beezus and ramona

(You thought I was going to use the Selena Gomez cover?
No ma'am. I'm old school.)

Cleary, B. (2006). Beezus and Ramona. New York: HarperTrophy. 

ISBN:  978-0380709182 

Beverly Cleary's story of delightful, mischievous Ramona and her long-suffering sister Beezus is a timeless delight. Originally published in 1955, the book spawned a series of Ramona sequels, a TV series, and a newly released movie.

In this book, we meet almost-10-year-old Beezus (neé Beatrice) and her four-year-old sister, Ramona. Like the great comedy teams of literature, Beezus and Ramona are opposites in every way. Beezus is quiet, thoughtful, methodical—a good girl who follows the rules. She colors inside the lines; she carefully unwraps gifts so as not to tear the wrapping paper. Ramona, however, is loud, accident-prone, and a daredevil. She follows Beezus everywhere, making mess after mess, wiping her paint-smeared hands on the cat, challenging authority left and right. It is up to Beezus to figure out resolutions to Ramona’s catastrophes. This book is the first of the Ramona series, and the only one that is written from Beezus’ perspective; older brothers and sisters everywhere will relate to the trials and frustrations of younger siblings.

While the reading level of this book will be most appropriate for younger tweens, children of all ages will enjoy reading about the misunderstandings, frustrations, and squabbles that these sisters encounter. Ramona is an irrepressible delight, and readers will empathize with Beezus' attempts to eke out a peaceful existence for herself. Some of the language is a bit dated (readers may wonder what a davenport is), but that doesn't detract from a simple, satisfying story, well told.