Please Note: Some list this book as number 6 in the series and others list this book as number 7 (number six is a compilation of previous books).
This is the Ramona book I read in the first grade and it turned me into a reader for life. Since I wasn't all that enthused about the previous books (they ranged to just average), I expected not to love it as I did as a kid. I was wrong.
Ramona has come full circle, in my opinion, as the third grader who just wants peace to read her book (DEAR - Drop Everything And Read was a big deal for me and I completely forgot about it until I re-read this book) and sunny dry days so she can skate on her roller skates and learn to ride a bike. Unfortunately, the grown ups in this book are awful - the dad is now in college to train as an art teacher, but he is not good at art or the child development and learning classes he has to take. Mom is still absent-minded and way too tough on Ramona while comparing her to Beezus (who is still real and wonderful). The third grade teacher says mean things about Ramona (who over hears) and then lies to Ramona's face. Mrs. Kemp is just as absent-minded as Mrs. Quimby and mean like the teacher.
Through it all, Ramona is the big dreams, big hearted girl who befriends Yard Ape and impresses her classmates with a great book report. If my kids want to read the Ramona Quimby books, I will gladly encourage it, but this book is the one I would recommend over the others. 5 stars, but because I was happy not to be disappointment with re-reading a beloved kid lit book from my childhood; 4 stars to the normal reader.
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