Ramona and Her Mother
Author: Beverly Cleary
Illustrator: Tracy Dockray
Book 5 in the Ramona Quimby series
Pages: 224
Published: 1979
Age: 7+
This warm-hearted story of a mother's love for her spirited young daughter is told beautifully by Newbery Medal–winning author Beverly Cleary.
Ramona Quimby is no longer seven, but not quite eight. She's "seven and a half right now," if you ask her. Not allowed to stay home alone, yet old enough to watch pesky Willa Jean, Ramona wonders when her mother will treat her like her older, more mature sister, Beezus.
But with her parents' unsettling quarrels and some spelling trouble at school, Ramona wonders if growing up is all it's cracked up to be. No matter what, she'll always be her mother's little girl…right?
- Sibling Dynamics: Ramona is "seven and a half right now" and just wants to be treated like her older, more mature sister, Beezus. Is that too much to ask?
- A Mother’s Love: With parents’ unsettling quarrels at home, Ramona needs to know one thing: will she always be her mother’s little girl?
- Relatable Family Life: From disastrous home haircuts to the glorious mess of an entire tube of toothpaste, Ramona’s world is full of funny and true-to-life moments.
- The Trials of Growing Up: Between trouble with spelling and navigating the rules of being a big kid, Ramona learns that being seven and a half is a very serious business.
National Book Award for Children's Book, Fiction (Paperback) (1981), California Young Readers Medal Nominee for Intermediate (1983)
About the Ramona Quimby Series
Books in series order
- 1.Beezus and Ramona(1955)
- 2.Ramona the Pest(1967)
- 3.Ramona the Brave(1974)
- 4.Ramona and Her Father(1977)
- 5.Ramona and Her Mother(1979)
- 6.Ramona Quimby, Age 8(1981)
- 7.Ramona Forever(1984)
- 8.Ramona's World(1999)
Reading age: 6+ years
The Ramona Quimby series follows the lively, imaginative, and sometimes exasperating Ramona as she grows from an energetic preschooler into a more thoughtful elementary school student.
Ramona approaches everyday life with strong opinions, big feelings, and a determination to be understood. Whether she is dealing with school, friendships, family changes, money worries, or her relationship with her older sister Beezus, her good intentions often lead to unexpected trouble. Beverly Cleary’s warm, humorous stories capture the frustrations, embarrassments, and small triumphs of childhood with honesty and affection. The trials and triumphs of growing up are depicted through a relatable heroine who isn't afraid to be exactly who she is.
Funny, reassuring, and sharply observed, the series remains especially appealing to readers who enjoy realistic family stories and characters who do not always get things right. These books continue to make young readers laugh in recognition and pleasure. They're perfect for independent and shared reading, at home or in the classroom.