Ramona's World

Ramona Quimby #8

by Beverly Cleary, Jacqueline Rogers (Illustrator)

Ramona Quimby can't wait to start fourth grade. With a new baby sister to brag about, new calluses to show off, and a new best friend to get to know, everything's going to be great!

Or is it? When Ramona's spelling is atrocious, her teacher, Mrs. Meacham, is firm about her needing to improve. Then a scary incident at a friend's house leaves Ramona feeling at fault. Who knew growing up could be filled with such complicated situations?

Newbery Medal winning author Beverly Cleary's final book in the Ramona series has all of the warmth, realism, and humor of its predecessors.

Supports the Common Core State Standards

Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Classics, Audiobook, Chapter Books

208 pages, Paperback

First published August 25, 1999

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

[Amirsaman · Rating 3 out of 5]

چرا باید کتاب کودک خواند؟ چون هنوز هم مسائل ما همان مشکلات هستند. دانشجوهای بالقوهْ پزشک، مثل رامونا می‌خواهند توجه معلم‌شان را جلب کنند. گاهی که در املا نوشتن خوب نیستیم، نق‌نقو می‌شویم و لب‌ها آویزان. در کتاب کودک، عشق خالصانه هست، دوستی حقیقی، قبل از شروع روابطِ آدم‌بزرگ‌گونه‌. فقط اینجاست که آدم‌هایی که از هم خوششان می‌آید، هنوز ردی از حجب و حیا دارند، همدیگر را پاگنده و میمون حیاط خطاب می‌کنند و عکس اخموی خود را به دیگری کادو می‌دهند.
کتاب کودک، افکار و احساساتی را که ده یا بیست سال ازشان دور بودم برایم زنده می‌کنند. کتاب‌های کودک باعث می‌شوند جهان را درک کنیم، چون راه نابی است برای شناخت خودمان؛ همان‌طور که علوم سیاسی و جامعه‌شناسی با ما چنین می‌کنند. پس این‌طور شد که دو سیر اصلی مطالعات امسالم، مارکسیسم بود و کتاب‌های کودکان.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

You guys, Beverly Cleary is 98 and still alive, and I realize it's horribly selfish of me to try to take up her remaining years, but do you think we can convince her to write another Ramona book? Because I've checked that illustrator Alan Tiegreen is also still alive, so I really think this should happen.

In this last(?) Quimby adventure, we have: new baby Roberta and Ramona's interactions with her, from cleaning up rejected peas to babysitting for 15 minutes, omg; a new (girl!) best friend for Ramona who seems to have an equally awesome family (I kind of can't get over that picture of Ramona falling through the attic floor); Beezus, growing up, with earrings and phone calls and parties (my fave illustration in the book is Beezus in all of her party-clothes glory); a blossoming relationship between Ramona and Yard Ape in which they exchange inside jokes about peas and I basically scream all over the place at the adorableness; a birthday party at a playground so the girls can work on their calluses from the monkey bars then they eat cake with whipped cream (this seems like the best, most normal little kid party to ever exist).

Never be done Beverly Cleary, Alan Tiegreen, and Ramona :(

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

After reading so many hard hitter books, I needed something light and entertaining. Even if it’s children’s fiction, Ramona’s World was just the right book to cleanse my palate. Lot of smiles and laughter. Five delightful stars.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the last of the Ramona series. Ramona's World, finds Ramona starting fourth grade. She is exited about telling her class about her new baby sister, Roberta.
I enjoyed this book, but it also made me sad, because I knew it was the last. I always find myself wondering, what comes next. I want to continue to follow Ramona, watch as she tackles high school. I know writer's have to know when to stop, and the book's were for younger readers, but I still can't help wondering, what happens to Ramona.
The book ended with Ramona tenth birthday, her party, and her finding new ways to see people. A great book, and a great series, I will always love.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

When my son complained that he had nothing to read, I grabbed a copy if all of the Ramona books frim the library, even though he is a little old for them, because he wasn't interested a couple of years ago. This time, he inhaled the books and said they were really fun amd easy (as long as I don't tell anyone he liked them....um, whoops?), and as I was gathering them to take back, noticed this book, which looked unfamiliar. Sure enough, written in 1999, many many years past my own Beverly Cleary reading years, it was a "new" Ramona book. So I snatched it up and read it in a sitting.

Ramona is in 4th grade and Beezus in high school and baby Roberta more than a lump of nrwborn. Ramona is the same spirited, spunky, fun character- fussing over bad school pictures, family dynamics, and meets a new girl who becomes her first best friend. I love the innocence and realism in these books as an adult as much as I did as a kid. Beverly Cleary is a wonder. 4 stars.

[Renata · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never read this before because it came out in 1999, well after my peak Ramona days! I'm not sure if it was because I had no specific nostalgia attached to this one, or that Ramona is older, or that Cleary herself maybeee wasn't at the peak of her game, but this one didn't hit as hard as previous re-reads of earlier Ramona books. But it's still very good and has a lot of eternally relatable moments. Ramona foreverrr

[Amy Kannel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The boys and I were sad to end the Ramona series. I don't think this one is quite as funny and delightful as Ramona's earlier years, but it's still charming and poignant. And as big brothers to a toddler, my boys could relate to Ramona's big sister adoration/exasperation of baby Roberta :)

(As always, I think Stockard Channing's narration is the only way to experience Ramona.)

[Arielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect book to read to my 6- and 8-year-old girls who also have a baby sibling of a similar age to Roberta. I also loved how this book ended. So sweet!

[Whitney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is this the last Ramona book in the series? I think so. She is in 4th grade and growing up. Life is not easy but she is accustomed to this. Bittersweet is how I feel. It's like saying goodbye.

[Beth Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This final Ramona book capped off an incredible series. Set during the Ramona’s 4th grade year of school, this book has so much real life from family relationships to birthday celebrations to first crush to friendship to navigating school and more. I loved learning the last few inside jokes my kids say all the time. And there’s really such great practical life advice packed into these pages in the midst of the humor and heart. I’m so glad to finally have read these!

[Katie Fowler · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the library this weekend I happened to discover that there was one lone Ramona book that I had not read, and I scooped it up and read the whole thing on a rainy afternoon. Beverly Cleary was 83 years old when she wrote this, but it's amazing how she could still perfectly get inside the head of a 9-year-old. Good plot, true to the series and tweaked with a few modern touches juuuust enough to be credible. Even though this came out in 1999, I didn't want Beezus to be listening to Britney Spears or anything :) Also, this was not treated as a final book in a series (although it's likely to be...sniff!). Cleary just ended things on a happy day at the end of the school year, like usual. Pure childhood nostalgia, so wonderful.

An aside: The edition pictured here is the one I read, with illustrations by Alan Tiegreen, one of the two original illustrators of the series. There are reillustrated versions of the Ramona books now, where she's been all cuted up like she received a less trampy Bratz makeover. Must we do this to ALL little girl characters now, really? One thing that was great about Ramona is that she's likeable but not slick or cool, which makes her a very relatable kid. Get the original edition if you can!

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although this final Ramona book was written 15 years after the previous installment, it's much truer to the feel of the original series than Ramona Forever. It's much more Ramona-centric, with the now 4th grader meeting a new best friend, getting herself in and out of various scrapes, and finally developing a little sympathy for the super-annoying, always-perfect Susan.

Reading the series to my sons, I'm glad this was the conclusion to the series and not the book that concluded the series when I was their age.

[مسیح بی شفا · Rating 4 out of 5]

شاید عجیب باشه که یک پسر بیاد و برای رامونا ریویو بنویسه و بخواد از علاقه بسیارش به این مجموعه کتاب بگه!
من حضور رامونا را در زندگی خودم احساس میکردم و با تمام شرارت هایش میخندیدم و با غصه هایش اندوهگین میشدم
مشخصا جزو کتاب هایی خواهد بود که به هیچکس واگذارش نمیکنم و نگهش میدارم برای فرزندان خودم

[Heidi Van ry · Rating 5 out of 5]

My seven year old daughter and I are both so sad our journey through the Ramona series has come to an end! She asked me if Beverly Cleary will be adding to the series. I told her unlikely since I think she is 101 now! But wow what wonderful books.

[Shiloah · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a little bittersweet to finish this series again. This time, I read it with my Meredith. We started when she was 8 and is now 13. We’ve enjoyed our read-aloud time together. Now, we’ll start another series.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this isn't my favorite in the Ramona series, it was certainly enjoyable. Ellie and I are both very sad that we're all done with "Mona". Hopefully we can reread them in a few years time. :)

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun story with Ramona

[Austin Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately, Ramona's World, the newest and final entry in the series, isn't as profound or as moving as Ramona Forever, the previous book. But even as what I consider to be one of the lesser ventures into Ramona's life, it's still a comforting and enjoyable read, and it leaves you wanting to know more about the beloved protagonist, and it's a shame we didn't get more books to continue to see her grow.

I give Ramona's World a flat 3⭐
Having concluded with the series, I would say my favorites are Beezus and Ramona (Book 1), Ramona the Brave (Book 3), and Ramona Forever (Book 7).
Though most of them are really solid and I could understand any of them being a favorite for somebody.
The only one I recall feeling slightly unimpressed with was Ramona and Her Mother.

Overall I highly recommend this series. Beverly Cleary is absolutely one of the greatest children's authors of all time.

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ramona can't understand why correct spelling is so important. And why ever does the teacher think that a reward for spelling everything correctly is to learn to spell even harder words? What is it with grownups?
Dear Ramona turns ten years old by the end of this last installment, and I'm a little sad that I won't get to read about more of her adventures. She's enormously fun to spend time with, with her amusing and often spot on insights into the world around her. A lovely, wonderful series!

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

We love Ramona around here and it was sad to have this series come to an end. Ramona is in 4th grade and is just growing up so fast. Some of the things she gets to figure out: best friends, being a little and older sister, and doing things you don't like. As always, it created some great family discussions. I'd definitely recommend this, but I'd especially recommend the series if you are a kid or have kids.

[Bel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this because I was feeling tired and unmotivated, and it is a very sweet book that I whole-heartedly recommend.

[Amy King]

we're all a little sad that Ramona is over 😢

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ah Ramona, she never fails to entertain me! I really enjoyed this entire series and wish there were more. It's been fun watching Ramona grow up.

[Nadine Keels · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! Ramona Quimby isn’t far from turning “zeroteen” years old. She’s now in fourth grade, makes a new best friend, and gets to spend time being the big sister for a change, at home. (Well, “a” big sister, anyway.) But as always, her adventures this year will come with their share of challenges in Ramona’s World by author Beverly Cleary.

So, here we are. I’ve finally read the belated conclusion to the Ramona Quimby series, after first meeting Ramona back when I was six. I’ll admit this last book (which was published fifteen years after the original last book, Ramona Forever, and almost forty-five years after the first book, Beezus and Ramona) didn’t have quite the same “Ramona book” feel that I’m accustomed to.

Of course, I did read and reread the other books as a child first before revisiting them as a grownup, and of course x2, Ramona is growing up herself. Nothing against her friend Howie, but Ramona’s finding that she needs more girl time, now. Plus, she’s liked a boy or two, here and there, but when it comes to a certain boy in her fourth grade class, liking him is, well, a little different.

Anyway, I got a good helping of laughs out of this book’s humor, so that was much the same. And the girl I was, who’s yet in me, can still identify a lot with this young heroine: earning the calluses on her hands, holding an unfolded paper clip in front of her mouth, pondering how lame it is for her teacher to reward good spelling with Reward Words that are even harder to spell.

All in all, it was a delight to finish one of my all-time favorite series. Again. :-)

[Nathan Sizemore · Rating 5 out of 5]

93/100

Beverly Cleary is a masterful writer and I feel like the Ramona books are her masterpiece. Man, do I love these books. I love how unhurried she is as she describes the elements of Ramona's world: her little aspirations, difficulties and victories. They seem epic in scale in Cleary's careful rendering. Ramona and Yard Ape forever!

[Kris (My Novelesque Life) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Want to do a reread so will review at that time.

[Ginnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ramona is Potentially Grown Up.

Aw, Yard Ape!

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

What A Better Way to End Ramona's Story

[Aleta · Rating 5 out of 5]

So sad that it's over:(

[Marzieh Nfn]

یادش بخیر، چقدر کتاب های رامونا را دوست داشتم
یادم نیست غیر از این کدوم کتاب های دیگشو خوندم