Ramona the Pest

Ramona Quimby #2

by Beverly Cleary

Ramona doesn't think she's a pest - she knows that she isn't a pest on purpose. So how in the world does Ramona get in trouble? Why does her crush Davy run away whenever Ramona comes near him? And how does she manage to disrupt the whole kindergarten class during their rest time?

Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Classics, Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Humor

192 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1968

About the author

Beverly Atlee Cleary was an American writer of children's and young adult fiction. One of America's most successful authors, 91 million copies of her books have been sold worldwide since her first book was published in 1950. Some of her best known characters are Ramona Quimby and Beezus Quimby, Henry Huggins and his dog Ribsy, and Ralph S. Mouse.
The majority of Cleary's books are set in the Grant Park neighborhood of northeast Portland, Oregon, where she was raised, and she has been credited as one of the first authors of children's literature to figure emotional realism in the narratives of her characters, often children in middle-class families. Her first children's book was Henry Huggins after a question from a kid when Cleary was a librarian. Cleary won the 1981 National Book Award for Ramona and Her Mother and the 1984 Newbery Medal for Dear Mr. Henshaw. For her lifetime contributions to American literature, she received the National Medal of Arts, recognition as a Library of Congress Living Legend, and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal from the Association for Library Service to Children. The Beverly Cleary School, a public school in Portland, was named after her, and several statues of her most famous characters were erected in Grant Park in 1995. Cleary died on March 25, 2021, at the age of 104.

Reviews

[Philip · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book out loud with my middle child - the (currently) 5 year old Gwennie.

So Gwennie, what did you think?

Gwennie: Great?

Dad: How many stars should I give it?

G: Uhhhhhh... 4!

D: Why 4?

G: Uhhh... 4! 4.4.4. Because I liked it a little.

D: What did you like about it?

G: I liked abouuuuuuut it. When she. Uh... Kindergarten Drop-Out.

D: That was your favorite part?

*Gwennie nods*

D: Tell me about something that happened in the book, but it can't be something that happened today?

G: What? What did you say? I don't remember what you said. Said. Said. Said. Said. G. W. E. N. That spells Gwen.

D: Gwennie, this is what I said: tell me about something that happened in the book, but it can't be something that happened today.

G: When her tooth fell out.

D: Where did that happen?

G: It happened ooooonnnnnnn... chapter 7?

D: But where? Where was she?

G: Oh. She was at school.

D: Yesterday you told me your favorite part was something else. Do you remember what you told me yesterday?

G: I don't remember. What did I told you yesterday? Blah. Blah blah blah blah... (etc. ad infinitum)

D: Here's a hint: "I'm the..."

G: OH YES! THE BADDEST WITCH IN THE WORLD!!!!!

D: Did you like that part?

G: Oh yes. I LOVED that part!!! Even more than you, I loved that part.

D: Do you mean that you loved that part more than I loved that part, or do you mean you love that part more than you love me?

G: I don't know? What? Oh. Oh oh oh... I loved the part more than you loved the part.

D: Do you love the Ramona book more than you love your dad?

G: *Laughs* No. I love you more, Daddy.

D: *Smiles*

G: *Starts singing a mix of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, the Alphabet song and Frozen songs.

D: Is there anything else I should add to this review?

G: You should add Gwennie, Gwennie, Gwennie, Gwennie.

D: I mean, why should people read this book?

G: ...Because it's good?

D: Good enough for me.

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amusing! Successfully captures the spirit of a typical, imaginative kindergartener.

[Heidi (can’t retire soon enough) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love you Ramona Quimby— and I’m sorry that I never read the books with your name in the title… when your character was first introduced, I wasn’t reading yet and when your books were out with new covers, I’m afraid I thought I was too old to read a book about a pesky little kid.

How wrong was I! Listening to this book so wonderfully narrated by Stockard Channing, I enjoyed it as a Mom and as the youngster I was back in kindergarten. All I can say is I would have “boinged” Susan’s hair too!!

The levels of charm were endless… thank you Mrs. Cleaey. You captured the universal troubles of all 5-year-olds so terrifically!! I look forward to hearing more from Ramona soon!

(Reviewed 1/21/22)

[Debbie W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember reading this book when I was nine years old and still love it to this day! Ramona is a feisty, spunky little girl whose adventures in kindergarten are a hoot! I always make a point of reading this story to my Grade 3 students! Highly recommend this Beverly Cleary classic!

[Josiah · Rating 3 out of 5]

"No matter what others said, she never thought she was a pest. The people who called her a pest were always bigger and so they could be unfair."

—Ramona the Pest, P. 10

"Things had such an unexpected way of turning out all wrong."

—Ramona the Pest, P. 79

This book far exceeded my expectations. For years Beverly Cleary proved herself to have a unique understanding of what it means to be a kid, and shows that in this book better than perhaps any other. I've never been a kindergarten girl, but I identified with Ramona's problems and joys as closely as if I not only had been one, but still was. Beverly Cleary has a rare ability to bring the emotions of her characters home to any reader. If your feelings have ever been misunderstood or misconstrued, you'll find solidarity with Ramona here.

Ramona the Pest is funny and quite touching, as well, a story with such heart that I can't imagine a reader who won't be won over.

I might slightly favor Ramona Quimby, Age 8, but this book is on the same level. As the tagline says on the cover, "Anyone who calls Ramona a pest just doesn't understand Ramona!" I'm happy to say I think I understand Ramona, and wouldn't think of calling her a pest. :-)

"People who called her a pest did not understand that a littler person sometimes had to be a little bit noisier and a little bit more stubborn in order to be noticed at all."

—Ramona the Pest, P. 162

[Kristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read RAMONA THE PEST with my eight-year-old daughters. We had such fun with this one, and wow, the story really holds up over time. They were totally into it, laughing and engaged throughout the entire book. The actual physical copy we read was mine, given to me by my Dad in 1987, and I loved that I could share it with them now.

Ramona--what can I say? A timeless character. The girls adored her, and I fell in love with her all over again. Cleary has such an amazing knack for writing children and capturing their true essence. Reading it again as a parent I was truly blown away by how well she could write from a child's perspective. Grace and Zoe loved Ramona's antics, and we are already on to the next book.

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[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in the Ramona series finds her starting kindergarten. It is wonderful to watch as she starts school. In her word's she is finally growing up.
There is new characters in this book, like Miss Binney, Ramona's new teacher.
Ramona loves her new teacher, and feels Miss Binney can do no wrong.
There is also Howie, and Davy, who Ramona longs to kiss, and Susan who has hair that is temptation for Ramona's hands.
There are so many delightful moments in this book, one of my favorites is Ramona getting new rain boots, and the trouble she gets into with them.
It's a great book for kids, and kids at heart.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Miss Binney, I want to know—how did Mike Mulligan go to the bathroom when he was digging the basement of the town hall?”

Miss Binney’s smile seemed to last longer than smiles usually last. Ramona glanced uneasily around and saw that others were waiting with interest for the answer. Everybody wanted to know how Mike Mulligan went to the bathroom.
.....
“Boys and girls,” she began and spoke in her clear and distinct way. “The reason the book doesn’t tell us how Mike Mulligan went to the bathroom is that it is not an important part of the story.”
.....
Miss Binney spoke as if this explanation ended the matter, but the kindergarten was not convinced. Ramona knew and the rest of the class knew that knowing how to go to the bathroom was important. They were surprised Miss Binney did not understand, because she had showed them the bathroom the very first thing.

This book is the second in Cleary’s series about the indefatigable young Ramona Quimby, and the first to be written from Ramona’s point of view. A point of view so undeniable that Cleary wrote six more books about her.

In this installment, Ramona begins Kindergarten. She learns to write her name! She gets new boots! She finds a boy she wants to marry! (Or, a few.) She has an existential crisis about Halloween! And she loses her first tooth and learns just because someone is mad or disappointed in you doesn’t mean they hate you.

Adorable, funny, and the next best thing to being five again.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me: 4 stars
Daughter (age 6): 4 stars

This was a winner for my 6 year-old daughter! Normally we read picture books before bed each night, but I started this chapter book as a change of pace now that school has started up again. She's always excited to read at night, but seemed more so with this book waiting for her as she was excited to see what would happen to Ramona next.

Her favorite part was the ending where Ramona read the letter she received from her kindergarten teacher asking her to come back to school because she was missed.

My favorite parts were the pulling of Susan's springy curls and how Ramona admitted that she would not be able to not pull Susan's curls.

My son's favorite part, remembering back when he read this same book, was Ramona making an engagement ring out of a slimy worm by wrapping the worm around her finger.

I think we will continue with some library picture books this week, then maybe start the other Ramona book we have next week.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, Ramona. Kindergarten drop-out with a doll named Chevrolet and singing about the dawnzer lee light, you hold up to my memories. I cannot believe how long ago this was written because it really does not feel dated, other than in a few small instances that are easily forgiven. Beverly Cleary was ahead of her time, and Ramona is a timeless character.

[Manybooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although Ramona Quimby is still sometimes rather too rambunctious and annoyingly full of herself for my personal reading tastes in the second of Beverly Cleary’s Ramona novels (and also not very willing to consider she needs to accept responsibility when she, when Ramona acts out), personally I do rather tend to find find that the book title of Ramona the Pest might actually and in fact be a trifle misleading, might be a bit untrue.

For in my humble opinion and if I textually compare Ramona the Pest to the first novel, to Beezus and Ramona, I really do find Ramona much more deliberately annoying and aggravating, in other words much more on purpose pestering in the latter, in Beezus and Ramona. Because honestly, for the vast majority of the anecdotal Ramona Quimby escapades presented by Beverly Cleary in Ramona the Pest, these are in my opinion generally not cases of the former, of Ramona being deliberately naughty (being a calculating nasty) but rather cases of often language based misunderstandings (such as Ramona mistaking the adverb of time present for a the noun present and assuming that her Kindergarten teacher will be handing out gifts), of Ramona making inadvertent but frustratingly unfortunate errors (aside from of course when throughout Ramona the Pest Ramona is deliberately almost stalking her classmate Susan in order to pull her boingy corkscrew curls, which I cannot help feeling angry at and especially so because Ramona is so shamelessly unapologetic and basically says that there is no way she is either willing or able to stop herself).

And thus, for me, I certainly would rather want that Beverly Cleary used a title such as perhaps Ramona Again instead of Ramona the Pest, as I just do not personally think that Ramona is nearly as pestering and as frustrating in book two as she is in book one (and I therefore also have enjoyed Ramona Quimby’s reading company and presence considerably more in Ramona the Pest than in Beezus and Ramona, because Ramona, while still often overly temperamental and a bit unbridled, a bit entitled in Ramona the Pest is not nearly as much of a constant aggravation as she to and for me constantly seems to be in book one, is much more likeable and relatable, although part of me certainly does wish that older sister Beezus had a stronger and more substantial role to play, had a similar part as she has in the first Ramona novel).

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

True confession: I thought a lot of Ramona's "pest" behavior was horrible, even while I strongly suspected that I was guilty of the same thing!

[CYIReadBooks (Claire) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cute story. I'll have to revisit the series again. Stockard Channing did a fantastic job in narrating this audiobook. I was all smiles and giggles.

[Lars Guthrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Margaret Donaldson's quintessential 'Children's Minds,' she discusses the importance of 'decentering' in the language we use with children. Teachers know more than students, and thus often make false assumptions about shared knowledge: 'The better you know something, the more risk there is of behaving egocentrically in relation to your knowledge.'

Donaldson finds an example of such egocentric behavior in a story from Laurie Lee's autobiography 'Cider with Rosie.' After his first day at school, Lee furiously tells his mother that he had been cheated. He was told to 'sit there for the present.' Yet he never received his present. 'I sat there all day but I never got it. I ain't going back there again.'

Where Piaget claims young children's inability to communicate well is a result of their inability to decenter, Donaldson turns that premise around in citing Lee. We sometimes miss children's true potential because we assume they understand our language. We could get better responses and better learning if we really listened and thought about how we are saying what we are saying.

Donaldson's use of Laurie Lee's anecdote had a powerful effect on me. Then, at a talk by Marcia Henry, the author of the indispensable 'Unlocking Literacy,' Henry brought up the impact Donaldson's citing of 'Cider with Rosie' had on her.

Donaldson, Henry and I could have found the same example of egocentric language in Beverly Cleary's 'Ramona the Pest,' in which Miss Binney tells Ramona on her first day of kindergarten to 'sit here for the present.' The difference is that Miss Binney realizes the source of confusion, and shocks Ramona by apologizing to her in front of the class: 'I'm sorry....It's all my fault. I should have used different words.'

Miss Binney is a cool teacher, unlike Laurie Lee's, and for that matter Ramona's first grade teacher, Mrs. Griggs, whom we meet in 'Ramona the Brave.'

All of the above leads to my conclusion that the Ramona books, which follow Ramona Quimby from preschool into fourth grade, are just as valuable as texts for early education and child psychology as any other work. Cleary lets us in on the way children think and how their thinking develops with great insight, and of course, great humor.

Consider Cleary's treatment of this novel's eponymous moniker, despised by Ramona: '...Ramona did not consider herself a pest. People who called her a pest did not understand that a littler person sometimes had to be a little bit noisier and a little bit more stubborn in order to be noticed at all.'

Highly recommended.

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

I giggled my way through Ramona’s first few months in kindergarten: “dawnser”, a worm engagement ring, and becoming a dropout.

[Fereshteh · Rating 5 out of 5]

خانم معلم آرام و شمرده گفت: " سلام رامونا! اسم من خانم بی نی است. خیلی خوشحالم که به کودکستان آمده ای" سپس دست رامونا را گرفت و او را به سمت میز و صندلی های کوچک برد و با لبخند گفت: " فعلا همین جا بنشین تا بعدا یک سر و سامانی بهت بدهم"

!! یک سر و سامان

رامونا با خود فکر کرد که سر و سامان حتما یک هدیه است و احساس کرد که دارد از خانم بی نی خوشش می اید

....................................................................................................
بورلی کلری با رامونا و سایر شخصیت هایی که در مجموعه هاش خلق کرده بچه های زیادی رو با کتاب و کتابخوانی آشتی داده...فکر میکنم راز محبوبیت رامونا در اینه که واقعیه، مثل همه بچه های کره زمین رفتار میکنه و مثل همه بچه های واقعی نه میخواد و نه میتونه بچه بهتری باشه

[Kelly]

Oh the dawnzer lee light.

I literally laughed the entire first chapter, remembering it being read to me as a kid at some point. Then I wondered the entire last chapter how it was that Ramona got away with not going to school. Her mom must have really had an interesting conversation with someone to make that happen.

Still holds up. Again, a few cultural/gender norm issues, but nothing that's beyond what you'd expect for a book of this era (boys do this and wear that, the gypsy costume mention for Halloween -- nothing like Little House on the Prairie).

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even better than the first book, perhaps because this one is told from Ramona's point of view, rather than her somewhat staid older sister's. What a gift Cleary has for making the happenings of Ramona's kindergarten world matter so intensely. Turns out she was lauded for a reason. I'm very late to discover this!

[Shiloah · Rating 5 out of 5]

2014 reading: Read aloud to my Meredith (9). Love Ramona!

2022 reading: 8 years ago I finished reading to my Meri. Now she is 17 & Courtney (8) is demanding these lovely books. It’s so fun to revisit.

[Amy King]

Kate was a big fan. I caught her yelling, "I'm the baddest witch in the world!" 😳😂

[Cassandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

A few weeks ago, I made a list of books that my 8 year old niece might like based on books I read when I was her age. When I picked up the books from the library, I had a sudden urge to reread them for myself (or in some cases, read some children's classics for the first time).

I'm going to be a party pooper and say that I'm not sure if I should give this a two or three star review, in spite of other glowing reviews. It was a nostalgic read. I remember the characters well. However, I do not like some of the attitudes in the book. Ramona is allowed to throw fits to get what she wants. "If she had to, she would make a great big noisy fuss, and when Ramona made a great big noisy fuss, she usually got her own way." Is this really an attitude I want reinforced in my children? Sure, it's fiction. But books influence children's minds for better or for worse. I think there are better books out there that will reinforce the behavior and beliefs I want my children to learn.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just reread this as part of an informal "Ramona will save us, as she always has" book group with a friend. It is, by no accident, the one I reread most as a kid, in which Ramona begins school, has an actually lovable teacher, and decides to drop out after determining said teacher doesn't love her. ...Somebody please, like, knight Beverly Cleary. The woman aspires to sainthood.

Although I should probably regret the fact that I relate this much to a five-year-old, I continue to take comfort in the commonalities, as long as the five-year-old in question is my girl, Ramona Quimby.

[Joanne G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ramona is starting kindergarten and learning how hard it is not to be a pest, especially when she's continually misunderstood.

I didn't remember Ramona being such a wonderful character. She's worshipful of her teacher; barely tolerant of Howie, the son of her mother's friend; and alternately lovable and trying to her family. Ramona has a zest for life that can hardly be squelched, even when it gets her in trouble for pulling Susan's irresistible curls. Boing!

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had to reread after hearing about the passing of Beverly Cleary. This is my favorite book of hers.

[QNPoohBear · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rereading this brings back so many childhood memories. The story was serialized in the newspaper within the last several years and I distinctly remembered some of the characters and situations. I vividly remember Ramona's Qs, "dawnzer lee light" and Susan's boing boing curls.

I can't believe Miss Binney has to teach TWO classes of 29 kids back to back. YIKES! She's very sweet and sympathetic but not too nice she lets Ramona get away with things. She's a grown-up who understands children and THAT is what made Beverly Clearly so special.

Ramona is a real little girl. She throws tantrums when she doesn't get her own way because she feels it's the only way she can get noticed, being the youngest kid on the entire BLOCK. She wants to be grown up and be grown up NOW! She's been looking forward to kindergarten forever when she'll learn to read and write. While things don't always go Ramona's way, she stays true to her own unique and independent spirit. I especially loved the way she wanted a dot [.] after her name and how she made her Qs. I had an independent spirit like that and I see it in my nieces. Ramona misunderstands the words she hears and it's totally Miss Binney's fault at first. What kid know that present has multiple meanings? She's only 5! Miss Binney is new to teaching so I guess she doesn't know that yet. I also loved Ramona's question about Mike Mulligan! That's TOTALLY something I would want to know and I'm betting my nephew asked the same question. I also appreciated how much Ramona loved her doll, Chevrolet, (little kids totally still name their dolls like this), in spite of how beat up Chevrolet is. There are memories there she'll always treasure even if she winces to remember.

I didn't like how Ramona threw tantrums to get her way but as a kid who invented the temper tantrum I guess I can relate. I also didn't like her energy and lack of impulse control. Her behavior towards Susan is unacceptable and she does get punished for it. I wouldn't say Ramona is a pest but she struggles with impulse control. Today people would probably think she has ADHD and maybe autism based on her tantrums. She's a little immature for Kindergarten but school has advanced so much since the time the book was written that nursery school is the new kindergarten. Ramona is rather bratty and hasn't decentered yet. She's still the center of her universe.

This one isn't as dated, aside from the very minor reference to wearing a dress to school instead of play clothes and Oxford shoes instead of sneakers. The illustrations contradict this and put the girls in modern clothes. Ramona wears a skirt with leggings underneath.

There is also some traditional gender norm references but I like how Ramona is NOT a traditional girly girl. It shows how the world was changing and makes her more relevant for today's readers. The one BIG thing that made me cringe was Ramona chasing Davey around the playground trying to kiss him. That's considered sexual harassment in some schools today and grounds for suspension or even expulsion. don't know if an early reader would pick up on that yet. I'm sure kids still play those games.

I tried to interest my niece in this book when she was in Kindergarten. She liked listening to the audio book in the car but never expressed any interest in finishing or reading any more about Ramona. I don't think Ramona is popular with young girls nowadays, sadly. They have more options, thankfully, than kids did back in the 50s and even the 80s when I was growing up. I'm glad they have more choices and better options that ever before but there's something so appealing about Ramona. Beverly Cleary was a genius and a once in a lifetime author who managed to appeal to a wide range of kids across class, race and gender divides. Even though she retired many, many years ago, she will still be much missed.

[Carol Bakker · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Don't make a great big noisy fuss.

My granddaughter and I enjoyed listening to this on a recent road trip. It occupied us and Ramona made us giggle. On her first day of kindergarten Miss Binney led Ramona to a table and said, "Sit here for the present." Ramona is elated! She's getting a gift! When other kids are instructed to "Sit down in this chair," Ramona is doubly glad that she is the only kindergartner getting a gift!

The book lasted to the final mile home. Another shared book that we both loved.

[Natalie Rion · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Ramona the Pest” is the first of the “Ramona” series written by Beverly Cleary. This book introduces the lovable character, Ramona. In this particular book, Ramona is beginning her first year of school, Kindergarten. You soon learn about what kind of character Ramona is, a wild child. She loves horsing around, joking around, and being the typical playful kid. Her older sister Beezus, easily gets annoyed by Ramona and refers to her as a “pest”. In school, Ramona has trouble paying attention and listening to her teacher, Miss Binney. While in Kindergarten, Ramona begins liking a boy named Davy. She constantly chases Davy around at recess in hopes of kissing him. Susan, a fellow pupil of Ramona’s, has hair that Ramona has wanted to pull since the day she meets her. One day, Ramona cracks and pulls Susan’s hair. Ramona is then suspended from school and really saddened by it. One day while suspended, Howie, a fellow classmate, stops by Ramona’s home with a baby tooth she had lost in school one day. Her spirits were more upbeat once this occurred.

This book is a great transitional book. I remember being in third grade where I read the entire series. They’re funny and enjoyable for any young reader who is moving from strictly picture books to chapter books.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beverly Cleary is a national treasure. She is also 104. I saw a brief headline about her birthday and - unsurprisingly, I suppose - looked backward, to a childhood uncomplicated by global pandemics and populated by problems like Ramona’s. There are no computers or cell phones here, but these books are as relevant as when they were first published.

Ramona gave Howie a look of pity, but she said, “Please stay for lunch, Howie. It isn’t tuna fish. It’s peanut butter and jelly.”

It isn’t tuna fish. Absolute mastery.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

2024 update: Are these books really 50 years old? Ramona Quinby is timeless. Have decided to reread the series this summer because she's one of my favorite characters of all time.

*

2016 update: I just finished reading this with my six-year-old niece. The two of us laughed all the way through. I haven't read it since I was around six myself, but I remember certain scenes as sharply as if I'd read them yesterday. There's something so genuine and sharp about Ramona.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable. How had I not read the Ramona books as a kid? It's fun reading these to the kids & talking about how things were "in the olden days - but not as old as Little House, right mom?"