Tag: Beverly Cleary

📖 Read pages 111-123, Chapter 7: The Day Things Went Wrong, of Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary (Scholastic Book Services, 1968, ISBN: 0-590-04493-1)

Certainly not the most entertaining chapter of the book. Davy thinking that ‘Taterpillars could have started with a ‘t’ was entertaining as was the description that Ramona was sure her father was the tooth fairy and she wanted to catch him in the act. The rest was just a set up for the final chapter which actually played better not having read this one prior to it.

📖 Read pages 124-144, Chapter 8: Kindergarten Dropout, of Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary (Scholastic Book Services, 1968, ISBN: 0-590-04493-1)

Probably should have read chapter 7 first (in my out of order chapter hopping) as it did have a few references back to Ramona’s horrible day. Ramona has a terrific tantrum and refuses to go back to school. There’s an interesting perspective on child psychology I’m seeing in this reading compared to when I read this when I was probably 9 or 10. Ramona finally understands what “dawnzer” means.

📖 Read pages 75-94, Chapter 5: Ramona’s Engagement Ring, of Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary (Scholastic Book Services, 1968, ISBN: 0-590-04493-1)

The idea of using a worm as an engagement ring is just truly fantastic!

Then something on the sidewalk caught Ramona’s eye. It was a pink worm that still had some wiggle left in it. She picked it up and wound it around her finger as she looked toward Henry. “I’m going to marry you, Henry Huggins!” she called out.

📖 Read pages 95-110, Chapter 6: The Baddest Witch in the World, of Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary (Scholastic Book Services, 1968, ISBN: 0-590-04493-1)

I’m skipping around a bit in the plot since it’s not entirely linear…

I really appreciate the sophisticated philosophy of a kindergartner loosing her identity by wearing a mask. This idea was certainly something I find intriguing.

I’m pretty sure I read this book in my youth, but I’m finding that I honestly don’t recall any of the plot for some reason.

📖 Read pages 47-59, Chapter 3: Seat Work, of Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary (Scholastic Book Services, 1968, ISBN: 0-590-04493-1)

Ramon scribbles some black on the picture of her house to make it “interesting”. I knew immediately it was a fire and couldn’t help but laughing at the pending discussion… Oh, the creativity of the young!

📗 Read pages 5-28, Chapter 1: Ramona’s Great Day, of Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary (Scholastic Book Services, 1968, ISBN: 0-590-04493-1)

I too want to know how Mike Mulligan went to the bathroom when he was digging a hole all day. It was apparently a cultural touchstone by this time after its publication in 1939.

I wonder if Boing Boing got the name of their site from Susan’s curls in this book?

“Dawnzer lee light” reminds me of the similar concept “with liberty and just a straw.”

My favorite has to be Ramona staying in her seat because she thought she was going to get a present.