ikuo1000's reviews
467 reviews

"The" book about King Arthur, his Knights of the Round Table, his wife Guenever, his best friend and wife's lover Lancelot, the Quest for the Holy Grail, etc.

I thoroughly enjoyed it! The book is full of characters who are gentle, noble, beautiful, ugly, revengeful, humorous -- and the book made me feel like I could relate to any of them. In the end, it was a thinking book, illustrating how themes of war and human nature are applicable throughout time. The book made me feel half-frustrated and disappointed in the idea that humankind is doomed to repeat its mistakes in war and strife, but also half-hopeful that if humankind continues to strive towards it, we can reach a way of life that is peaceful and just without having to resort to war.

I won't say much about what the book says about war, in case you want to read the book yourself, but it's a bit of a discourse regarding the purpose of war, when a war might be justified (if at all), why do humans fight wars while most other animal species do not, etc. In fact, the discussions on war are so applicable to current events that I think this book is relevant now more than ever.

I wish I could just review the entire series all at once, because these 5-star ratings are just getting repetitive.

In this book, Beverly Cleary broadens Ramona's world and introduces some more serious concepts. Ramona's father loses his job, and thanks to Beezus, Ramona learns that her father's smoking is a terrible habit. Not unexpectedly, Beverly Cleary is able to frame these issues from Ramona's perspective. Ramona may not understand money matters, but she understands that when her father isn't working, he's always cross, and that, in turn, affects the entire family's dynamics.

She also doesn't know exactly why smoking is bad, but she just wants to save her father's life. Isabelle likes that Beezus and Ramona work together to get their father to stop smoking - they don't always get along, but sometimes, they do.

I remember reading some, not all, of the Ramona Quimby series when I was a kid. I was delighted when Isabelle told me that Beezus and Ramona was the "read aloud" book at school - which means her teacher reads it aloud during snack time and after lunch.

I really love this series! I have as much fun reading these books to Isabelle as Isabelle does listening to me read them.

Beezus and Ramona introduces us to Ramona, and as a mother, I feel better just knowing that someone - Beverly Cleary! - seemed to understand what it's like to parent a difficult child like Ramona. It made me feel not so bad about my own kids' misbehavior. :P I like that it highlights the relationship between two sisters - they love each other, of course, but they don't always like each other, and that's okay.

From a kid's standpoint, Isabelle says she likes this book because when Ramona wants to get a library card, she tries to sign her name as a series of i's and t's. Yes, this is what Isabelle loves about this book! Clearly, Beverly Cleary understands children! She gets inside the head of Ramona and gives us a peek of what might be going through a child's mind. She shows us that even when Ramona misbehaves, there is some kind of reason for her behavior that is logical to a child.

Isabelle and I are going through the entire Ramona Quimby series!

I actually remember reading (or hearing) this book as a child - I think in first grade - because I have a distinct memory of the "dawnzer" that "gives a lee light". :)

Ramona the Pest was especially fun because in this book, Ramona is in kindergarten, and Isabelle just finished kindergarten. Since Isabelle is my older child, I really didn't know what to expect when she started kindergarten, and I spent a lot of time worrying and wondering about whether or not her behavior and skill level in various areas was "normal". For me, I struggled with watching Isabelle struggle with her behavior - she was an angel in school, but a bear at home! This book - though fiction - highlights how difficult it is for young children to conform to expectations of behavior, and even though it's not a parenting book, it really helped me to better understand Isabelle and more easily forgive her less-than-ideal behavior.

Isabelle, who is in first grade now, likes this book because when her teacher read it aloud in class, she had the class "crank back their minds" - complete with whirring sound effects and a hand gesture cranking their minds backwards - to think about what kindergarten was like for them. Clearly, Isabelle is able to identify with Ramona, and of course, being able to identify with the characters in a book always makes for good reading!

Up until now, we've been reading Ramona books illustrated by Tracy Dockray. I really like her drawings because they do such a great job of conveying the emotions of each character - from elation to concern to anger. Illustrations definitely add to the story, helping Isabelle to put a greater context around the words being read.

Since we're going through the series by borrowing books from the library, we read whatever editions are available. With this book, for the first time, we encountered a different illustrator - Alan Tiegreen. I thought Isabelle might not like the change, but she told me that in school, her teacher reads books illustrated by yet another person, who turned out to be Jacqueline Rogers. This is great! I personally prefer Tracy Dockray's pictures because Alan Tiegreen's drawings look, well, not so cute. :P But they do do an equally good job of bringing the story to life, and I love that Isabelle is seeing different interpretations of the same characters.

In Ramona the Brave, Ramona is in first grade, just like Isabelle! Ramona begins to learn a few things about people and relationships - other people may sometimes behave in ways that belittle you, and some people (like teachers) may misinterpret situations in such a way as to misunderstand you completely. Poor Ramona! I really felt for her in this book. I think every person has some strong memory of being misunderstood as a child.

Interestingly, while I focused on the emotions and the possible take-away lessons, Isabelle said her favorite thing about this book was the brick factory game that Ramona played with Howie. How typical! :) The parent tries to emphasize some worthy lesson, but the child really just wants to enjoy the story. :P

Okay, just after saying that this series deserves 5 stars across the board, I'm giving 4 stars to Ramona and Her Mother. :P

It's not that this book isn't great - it is! - I just didn't find it quite as interesting as the others. Ramona watches her mother and Beezus bond while hosting a brunch and discussing hair, and she feels left out. She yearns for her mother to show her the same type of affection that she shows Beezus.

As a mother, I am always thinking about "fairness"... Of course, I need to treat my older daughter differently than the way I treat my younger son - they are different ages, different genders, different people! But, at the same time, I don't want either kid to feel shafted when one or the other is getting more attention, for whatever reason. Well, maybe I feel like the underlying issue in this book wasn't addressed - Beezus is older, and therefore, she gets different kinds of attention than Ramona. In the end, all Ramona wanted was for her mother to say the same things to her as she said to Beezus. I suppose it's a good reminder that kids really do listen, even when we think they aren't, so we should give thought to what we say.

Isabelle, anyway, says her favorite part of this book was when Beezus got her hair cut and styled by a beauty school student, and when it turned out looking awful, Ramona wanted Beezus to look like herself. I'm pleased with this answer, because it shows that Isabelle actually has a sense of compassion. :P Even though Ramona was in the midst of feeling jealous of the attention Beezus was getting from their mother, that didn't stop her from wanting her sister to look like her sister.

*** Warning: This review contains spoilers! ***

Isabelle wanted to give this book 4 stars, and I actually wanted to give it 3, so I'm compromising with 3 1/2 (though Goodreads won't actually let me use 1/2 stars).

Thinking back about this book, I'm a little sad that Ramona is growing up. In the first few books of the series, I really felt immersed in Ramona's world, like Beverly Cleary was opening my eyes to a child's perspective. In this book, Ramona is in 3rd grade, and she basically now understands the world around her, and she fits in. Maybe there's a sense of bittersweetness; it's nice that Ramona grows up and is not so troublesome anymore, but she's growing up! It's just too fast. I miss the little girl! And she's just a fictional character. Isabelle - my little girl! - is really growing up fast! *sniff*

Anyway, anyway. So now that Ramona is growing up, the book is no longer really focused on her and her perspective. It's more like a book about the whole Quimby family. ("That's okay!" Isabelle says.) It's nice to see what happens to the characters - like wanting to follow the story arc of a TV series. And this book - this episode - is kind of like the one in which the series "jumps the shark". There's a new baby, a wedding, a character moves away, and a pet dies.

Isabelle, for her part, likes the book because Ramona gets a little sister. I asked her what exactly about Ramona getting a little sister did she like, and she said, "Because I want one." Ha. Too bad, she got stuck with a little brother.

Well, there is one last book to read, and we'll see how that one goes. I'm actually already sad at the anticipation of having to say goodbye to Ramona Quimby, so I'm afraid I may have some high hopes for the final book in the series...

Even though I was so sad to say goodbye to Ramona, I was pleased that the series ended on a high note.

This book returns to the familiar format of the earlier books in the series. It focuses on Ramona, her growing-up experiences, and how she deals with them. In Ramona's World, Ramona makes a new best friend, her friendship with Yard Ape continues to develop, and she and Susan even come to a bit of an understanding. She is more mature and responsible, though she still manages to inadvertently get herself into trouble.

I like that this book also puts a spotlight on Beezus's growing-up experiences. It's her first year in high school, and she is worried about her complexion, she makes new friends, gets her ears pierced, and goes to her first boy-girl party.

Isabelle may not be old enough to really understand some of the Beezus stuff, but I think she can relate to Ramona's struggle with spelling - that is, having to put up with something she has to do, but doesn't like. (In Isabelle's case, that would be Chinese school homework.)

I even picked up a little parenting tip! When Ramona faces a situation in which she turns to her mother for help, Mrs. Quimby says to Ramona, "Cope". I like that! Instead of getting into a wordy reminder to "find a solution" and "work it out yourself" - just one word is needed.

Finally, I like that Ramona's attitude towards Roberta is more complicated now than it was when she was first born. At first, Ramona was all happy and welcoming, but just like in real life, the reality of having a new family member quickly sinks in. Ramona doesn't get so far as to resent Roberta, but she is no longer always thrilled to have the baby around, and it's clear that she understands that she has to share her mother even more now, and she especially values any time she gets to spend with her mother.

As for Isabelle, what she liked most about this book is that Ramona and Yard Ape become friends. I like that, too!

*** Warning: This review contains spoilers! ***

Isabelle emphatically wanted to give this book 5 stars, so the 4 star rating is all me.

The book it titled Henry and Beezus, and Beezus does have a nice supporting role, but their relationship wasn't exactly a focal point, like the way the relationship between Beezus and Ramona was a central concern in Beezus and Ramona. Scooter McCarthy is probably mentioned more often than Beezus, though Henry's relationship with Scooter is kind of about friendly one-upmanship, and perhaps not title-worthy. Going into this book, I thought maybe it would be more about Henry and Beezus planning stuff together, or getting into trouble together, but more often than not, Beezus just happened to be there, or she - and Ramona - tagged along while Henry resigned himself to their company, or at best was indifferent. Still, any time Beezus was involved, she invariable came to Henry's aid or otherwise supported him in some way. I think she was a good friend to Henry, and I wish the book had explored that friendship more, and maybe even had Henry seeking out and enjoying - or at least appreciating - her company more often.

Also, one detail at the end of the book bothered me, and I'm not sure if I missed something, or what. Henry was embarrassed to win a bunch of beauty salon coupons at a raffle, but was then quite pleased with his prize when he realized that his mother and her friends would buy the coupons off of him. The thing is, Beezus was the first to offer to buy a coupon for a free permanent wave (I love how dated the book is!) - Henry had won 2 such coupons - and she was thrilled when Henry said yes. But then later, Henry's mother and Scooter's mom offer to buy the same coupons for more money, and the implication is that they get the coupons - so Beezus is left with nothing! But the book doesn't even mention Beezus getting shafted, so it seems like that point was entirely overlooked...

Anyway, other than those two shortcomings, it really is an enjoyable book. Henry is on a quest to own a bicycle, and I love how he exhibits patience and resourcefulness as he goes about earning the money himself. Of course, Isabelle says her favorite thing about this book is that Henry gets his bike!

*** Warning: This review contains spoilers! ***

This book is aptly named. Even though Ribsy is an important supporting character in all the Henry Huggins books, in this one, he is in the spotlight. If he behaves, Henry can go on a fishing trip with his dad!

For some reason, this book was much more dramatic than any of the other Beverly Cleary books we've read so far. At one point, there is a scene in which Henry is in a bit of a pickle. He is at the playground, and a bunch of mothers gather around him because it looks like Ribsy chased a wailing Ramona up the jungle gym. We readers know that the situation is not at all what it looks like, but the mothers are determined to get Ribsy sent to the pound. Isabelle was so anxious, she actually stood up because she couldn't sit still! She made worried, whining noises, and couldn't bear the suspense - I thought she might even cry! Even though it was like I couldn't read fast enough for her, I had to pause and calm her down, reminding her that Henry is resourceful, and Beverly Cleary wouldn't let anything bad happen to Ribsy! (Thankfully, the resolution was very satisfying, and both Isabelle and I felt relieved!)

The ending of this book also seemed like it was more of a high than any other happy occasion in any of the other books. Henry goes on the fishing trip with his father, and though it started off disappointing, Henry more than made up for it with his big catch! It was such an exciting crescendo that Isabelle and I were practically giddy as we read. And of course, Isabelle said her favorite thing about this book was that Henry caught his fish!