Ramona Quimby: Difference between revisions

Part of what makes the books work so well is the portrayal of various events that are a huge deal to a child, but which are normally overlooked by adult eyes. For example, in ''Ramona the Brave'', the first grade class has to make owls using paper bags, glue, and several other things. Ramona notices that Susan, who she doesn't get along with in the first place, is copying all of Ramona's attempts at originality. When Susan's owl gets praise from the teacher for being original, Ramona, in fear that she will be considered the copycat rather than Susan, tears up her own owl, then later, Susan's, and stomps out of the classroom and runs home in tears.

 

 

There's plenty of light humor as well. Some of Ramona's behaviors and solutions to problems are a little odd or occasionally bizarre to an adult, but make perfect sense from her point of view. For example, also in ''Ramona the Brave'', Ramona tries to fight a scary dog by throwing her shoe at it; the dog promptly steals and runs off with said shoe. Ramona tries to hide her socked foot in class, then later decides to create a makeshift slipper out of paper towels stapled together in a slipper shape and use that as a substitute. Cute, funny stuff from an adult (or older kid) perspective, and an excellent example of why these books have so many adults as a [[Periphery Demographic]].

* ''Ramona and her Mother'' (1979) - Ramona is still in second grade.

* ''Ramona Quimby, Age 8'' (1981) - Ramona is in third grade. Yard Ape, a male friend/rival, is introduced.

* ''Ramona's World'' (1999) - Ramona is in fourth grade. A new female friend, Daisy, is introduced.