Rediscovering Ramona

In early elementary school, I was fascinated with all books by Beverly Cleary. I can remember my first grade teacher reading Ralph. S. Mouse to our class out loud and loving every page. When I started reading chapter books at the end of first grade, I became very enamored of Ramona. In fact, the books were so vivid in my mind that I could still picture some of my favorite scenes from the books even though I really hadn’t sat down to read them again until about two weeks ago. Here and there over the past few years, whenever I’d run into a Beverly Cleary book at a garage sale, I’d snatch it up to read to my kids when they were ready. It just so happens that Ms. Crazy Preschooler loves Ramona too, and we’ve read several over the past few weeks. She’d sit for three hours and let me read the book straight through if I would comply to her begging for more chapters, but and hour at a time of reading aloud is about all I can muster before either my voice gives out or The Banana or Mr. Perperpetual Mess wakes up from a nap.

In the process of reading these classic children’s chapter books aloud, I’ve come to love Ramona more than ever. I have such an appreciation for Beverly Cleary, for creating what to me is such a real little protagonist. I’d be reading and think to myself, “That’s exactly what Ms. Crazy Preschooler would do!” as Ramona would find herself in different situations. Even though an adult created this ficticious little girl, just reading the books reminded me of how it feels to be a little girl and gave me a child’s persepctive of what goes on in a family, and one thing that I love about all the interconnected Ramona stories is the way the author portrays Ramona’s family: not perfect, struggling sometimes, but full of love even when things don’t go exactly right. I think I’m a richer person for rereading these books.