Product Description
Socks is one happy cat....

He lives with a nice young couple called Brickers who play with him, pet him, feed him treats, and always have a warm lap for him to sit in. Then a new baby joins the family Suddenly, the Brickers are sharing their laps and love with Charles William, and Socks is getting into trouble. He runs from a phantom dog, wrestles with Nana's best wig, and fights Old Taylor the tomcat for his territory. But as Charles William grows, Socks discovers that he has a new friend and a new way to be a part of the family.

A purr-fectly hilarious portrait of life with a baby from a cat's point of view.

Customer Reviews (27)

A cool and creative book


SPOILER ALERT

This book is cool because it shows a cat's point of view.There's a new baby in the house and it makes it harder for Socks to get the Bricker's attention.When Socks bites Mrs. Bricker's leg, he wasn't trying to hurt her but Mr. Bricker threw him out the front door. You feel bad for Socks because you know he only wanted someone to feed him.When Mrs. Risley comes over she gives him lots of attention and lets him on her lap.Finally, Socks sleeps with the baby in his playpen and he is happy.

Cat takes back seat to baby in this short, simple tale
Mr. and Mrs. Bricker, a young, childless couple, choose to add a kitten, which they name Socks, to their family. With plenty of food and affection, the cat thrives. But then something terrible happens, Marilyn Bricker gives birth to a baby boy named Charles William. When baby makes four, all seems swell with the Cleaver-like family, but the kitty feels neglected. Charles William hogs his mother's lap and love, leaving the furry feline in the lurch. The only reprieve he gets is a visit from a cat-loving babysitter. But his mischievous nature lands him outdoors after some bad behavior involving Nana's wig. He gains back his place in everyone's hearts (and the house) after a bad experience with a local cat. Eventually, the two newest members of the Bricker family learn to live together in harmony. All's well that ends well, I suppose, in this simple story. But it's dated, as is obvious in the repeated use of "Mr. Bricker" and "Mrs. Bricker" to refer to the man and woman of the house. Cleary's Ralph and the Motorcycle books are better. Tales with good pet characters: Bad Kitty by Nic Bruel, Coraline by Neil Gaiman, and Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat by Lynne Jonell.

Reflects the times
This charming book tells the story of a new baby in the family from a cat's point of view. I remembered it fondly from my own childhood, and thought it would be helpful to read to my oldest daughter from a sibling-rivalry perspective.

Sadly, the book is a reflection of the times in which it was written, and the baby in it is exclusively formula-fed. Why Cleary got so much flak for mentioning spaying pets to prevent overpopulation, and none at all in this day and age for setting formula feeding on par with human milk, and presenting that to her young target audience as a harmless choice, I'll never understand.

socks
emily kocian says that she really love the book and that she likes the auters othetr books

socksby beverly cleary
Excellent book for your child's library.My son has read this over and over...Happy reading ... Read more

Product Description

Henry Huggins's dog, Ribsy, is hopelessly lost in a huge shopping mall parking lot. It's raining hard, the pavement is slick, horns are honking, and drivers are shouting. When Ribsy thinks he has found the Hugginses' new station wagon at last, he jumps in the open tailgate window and falls asleep, exhausted. When he wakes up find himself in the wrong car, lots of little girls pet him and make plans to give him a bath. All Ribsy wants to do is go home to Henry. Instead, he's about to begin the liveliest adventure of his life.

Customer Reviews (26)

Wuf!
Fourteen years after introducing the lovable canine companion of her star character Henry Huggins, Beverly Cleary decided that the affable mutt deserved an adventure of his own. In creating one, she demonstrated a comprehension of the dog's mind as astute as her famously insightful depictions of children. Separated from his young master through a series of chaotic events, playful, inquisitive Ribsy finds himself briefly adopted by an overwhelmingly friendly bunch of young siblings, a lonely, elderly widow, a class of second-grade students and an opportunistic boy, all of whom find something to admire in the talented pooch. While exploring strange houses, a school, a football field and a tenement building, Ribsy's innocent observations and impressions are entirely plausible, especially to anyone who's ever owned a dog! These misadventures are usually pleasant, sometimes troublesome and occasionally embarrassing for the canid protagonist, whose genial demeanor helps him to overcome more than a few difficulties and discomforts. Several of the book's many amusing incidents are depicted in simple, vivid illustrations again sketched by Louis Darling, Cleary's first and best artistic collaborator. For Cleary fans and avid readers of any age who just love dogs, this couldn't be more heartily recommended.

great
My daughter needed to read this before she started 3rd grade and it was unavailable at the public library.So glad I could count on amazon for it at a great price!

Sienna from Lake Tapps says "Awesome Book!"
Attention Animal Lovers...
By: Sienna Compton

Do you like great stories about animals? If so, you should read "Ribsy" by Beverly Cleary.It's a great adventure about a dog that gets lost, and travels on his own back home.When you read this book, you will feel like you're there, watching everything happen.
The story begins when Henry Huggins's family and their dog Ribsy head to the shopping center in their new station wagon.They get out to go shopping and leave Ribsy in the car.He accidently pushes the button that rolls down the window with his paw.The next thing Ribsy knew, he was getting out of the car looking for Henry Huggins. Ribsy, who was an old and colorblind dog, saw a brand new-looking station wagon that seemed the same color as the Huggins's car.He got in.When the wrong family opened the car doors and piled in, he was very confused.As soon as the family was home, they had decided to keep the dog so they were going to give him a bath.Ribsy decided to escape, and quick. Ribsy also met a women living on the side of the highway as he was traveling along.She took care of him until she made him do tricks and wear funny looking clothes around her friends. Ribsy was off to another home.Ribsy had gone to school to play with children, but this did not work because he just ended up chasing some kid's squirrel.He also tried sneaking home with a young boy after going to a football game but again he just ran away on a search for Henry Huggins.If you would like to find out the ending, you will have to read this book.
My favorite part of the story is the beginning when Henry, his family, and Ribsy are going to the shopping center.When they get there, Henry and his family go and shop and leave Ribsy behind in the car.Ribsy accidently pushed the button that rolls down the window with his paw.Ribsy hopped out of the car on a search for Henry Huggins.After Ribsy had gotten tired of looking for Henry and also barking and sniffing other dogs, Ribsy decided to look for his family's car. I learned from reading this book that having a dog, even a silly mutt like Ribsy, is a great honor.I know since I have a dog that dogs aren't just silly pets that you have to feed but they can be your friends too.
I would give this book 41/2 stars.
I hope you decide to read this wonderful book! (:

Ribsy by author Beverly Cleary
I bought this book for my son to write a report on from Amazon, and WOW!They stated the condition of the book was good.I say it was great! Not a tear on any page or a crinkled cover.The pages were a little brown from normal aging; but other then that. Great condition.Thank you Amazon for your excellent time in the delivery and condition of the product.
Sincerely,
Mary from Florida

It was FANTASTIC!
I have read a lot of books by Beverly Cleary. Mostly about Ramona but never about Henry. I thought it was great. After reading that book now I want to get a dog like Ribsy. ... Read more

Product Description

Ellen was eight years old and wore bands on her teeth. Her best friend had just moved away and she missed her. Still, as she walked to the Spofford School of the Dance one Saturday, she was almost glad she had no best friend. Best friends do not have secrets from each other, and Ellen had a secret she did not want to share with anyone. But by the time the dancing lesson was over (surely the most devastating dancing lesson on record), Ellen had found a best friend and shared her secret. The best friend was Austine, and the secret was that Ellen was wearing woolen underwear. So was Austine!

This whole book is a cause for rejoicing, for Mrs. Cleary has done it again. Ellen Tebbits is as funny as Henry Huggins. Perhaps it is even funnier. The children who read it will decide for themselves. Louis Darling, who has provided the wonderful illustrations, has already made his decision. He calls it a draw.

Customer Reviews (32)

Abigail's Awsome Review
Ellen Tebbits it was a great book because it was funny.My favorite part was when Ellen fell off the horse.The reason is because she fell into the lake.Then she was embarrassed.She made a new friend. Her name was Austine.At first she did not like her, but now they are best friends.They made a dress together. Then Austine's mom made hers different.You need to read this book!

A Good Book
The book is wonderful. It is one of my favorites from my childhood. Now I bought it for an almost 9 year old granddaughter.

A good book overshadowed by Ramona
This book was written about 20 years earlier than most of the Ramona books, and it shows. Ellen's mother makes all her clothes for her and worries about her clean floor. (I'm not even sure I *have* a clean floor - or, some days, a floor at all!) The girls wear only dresses to school (and most everyplace else). Otis has a full cowboy outfit (with spurs) and we're told that MOST of the children in the school have a cowboy hat, or even a neckerchief. (When's the last time you saw that sort of cowboy mania? Oh right - back in the 50s, when this was published.) And let's not forget the infamous woolen undies. If it was old-fashioned back in the 50s, and this was the first I'd ever heard of it in the 90s, just think how foreign it must seem to today's third-graders! (And let's put a little note for the names. When is the last time you saw a class full of Ellens and Austines, Otises and Lindas? Ramona is a name that passes the test of time. Otis... not so much.)

But you know what? It doesn't matter. The kids still seem as real as when they were written. They bake brownies, they worry about their teacher not liking them, and they get into a whopper of a fight when Ellen slaps her friend. Everything that happens has a ring of truth to it, even if the details aren't quite like they would be today.

Ellen Tebbits
I was a little put-off about all the 'underwear discussion' at the beginning of this one, although it certainly is the kind of thing a child would obsess over.Still, slightly awkward to read about it when you're a bit older (I knew I should have read these as a kid!).This book really brings out the charm of Ramona and was a highly hilarious read, while at the same time, as all of Cleary's books, being fully relatable (first successful egg break, everyone?) and teaching valuable life lessons.I thought the ending fully wrapped everything up and was absolutely sweet, and I was glad to see that it went back to the very heart of the story: Ellen and Austine.

Rating: 5/5

Stories for Children Magazine 5 Star Review
REVIEWED BY: Wayne Walker

Ellen Tebbits is a third grade school girl who finally finds a best friend in Austine Allen, the new student in her class who has moved from California, primarily because the two share a terrible secret.In fact, the two become such close companions that they decide to dress as twins on the first day of fourth grade.Unfortunately, Mrs. Allen is not nearly as good a seamstress as Mrs. Tebbits, and Austine's dress looks terrible.The two argue about it, and thinking that Austine has untied her sash, Ellen slaps Austine in the face.Ellen wants desperately to be Austine's friend again and later finds out that it was actually Otis Spofford who untied her sash, but she is too proud to apologize to Austine.Will the two ever be able to make up?
I have read many of Beverly Cleary's books for children, and I will try to be honest.I really liked the three books about Ralph Mouse.The books about Henry Huggins are fairly good.The books about Ramona Quimby, two of which were Newbery Honor books, are, in my estimation, not as good, but they are still all right and probably appeal more to girls than boys.I did not care for the only book for which Clearly won the Newbery Award, Dear Mr. Henshaw.Personally, I thought that it was depressing, but a lot of people have found it useful.However, I did enjoy reading Ellen Tebbits.It presents a realistic picture of elementary school life and deals sensitively with some issues that children of that age face, yet is written in an interesting style that will capture the fancy of young readers.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

So Much Fun!
I got these books to read with my daughter who has dyslexia.She absolutely HATES to read because it's harder for her.I've been reading them to her at bedtime.They are super fun!The best thing was when I would be reading and she'd start laughing before I got to anything funny.I got suspicious and caught her sitting on her bed reading ahead in the book because she couldn't wait to see what happened!Just a GREAT thing to see!!!I'm buying the next set!

recommended!
Excellent stories for a young reader. I enjoyed them very much even if it has been quite a while since I would be considered young.I am waiting patiently for my granddaughters to be old enough to enjoy them and even read them for themselves.

They Hold Up Amazingly Well (My Theories on Youth)
I hold a personal belief that every so often we should go back and revisit those things that were important to us in our youth.Whether it's picking up a copy of an album you haven't heard since high school or watching "The Breakfast Club" for the first time in 20 years, I think it's important to put yourself in touch with who we were.

So, when I heard about the Ramona movie coming out, I decided it was high time to revisit some of these books, which were favorites of mine from grades 2-5.Not only was I surprised at how much of these books I remembered, I was also very pleased with Cleary's writing and the universality of the situations in these books.In many ways, they serve as a window into how kids deal with things from the perils of having a younger sibling to take care of to parental unemployment.The great thing about these books is that the messages are never heavy-handed.Cleary lets them unfold naturally through the characters, in particular Ramona Quimby and her sister Beezus (in this set, anyway).

Some people may feel it's a waste of time to look backward at what made us who we are.I can't think of anything better to ground myself.And even more so, I'm incredibly pleased to find what good taste I had as a child.Highly recommended for those of us looking back and those looking to introduce their grade schoolers to reading.

I'm glad I took the time.If you haven't read these since grade school, you should, too.

Ramona's the best
I love Ramona Quimby she is such a pest lol. I can really relate to her.

6 yr old granddaughter loves them!
I bought these for my 6 year old granddaughter, who is an advanced reader for her age. Since they are about a girl age 9 or so, she can relate and use her as a type of role model.Her parents read them with her before bed and say that she loves the books.They are wholesome and provide solid family values. ... Read more

Product Description

It seems too good to be true. The most popular boy in school has asked Jane out -- and she's never even dated before. Stan is tall and good-looking, friendly and hard-working -- everything Jane ever dreamed of. But is she ready for this?

Suppose her parents won't let her go? What if she's nervous and makes a fool of herself? Maybe he'll think she's too young. If only she knew all the clever things to say. If only she were prettier. If only she were ready for this...

Customer Reviews (72)

the best book for middle school girls
this is a great book i read it and it took me1 month to read this but it was worth it its a great book for young girls

What a joy!
I read this book daily when I was a child in the 70's. I fell in love with the characters. It was so unlike what was going on in my era. People were becoming bolder, girls were becoming more adult earlier. But this book took me back to time where things moved at a slower place. I loved the part where they all went to the Chinese restaurant and Jane was nervous about handling the chopsticks and dropped a piece of shrimp down her blouse. You go through every doubt, every embarassment with Jane and you keep your fingers crossed for her! I wish I would have made my daughter read this when she was preteen.

Read it in the early 1970s as a preteen...
...it was old-fashioned even then: Twirling around the dance floor in a boy's arms? Yet I loved it. Wouldja believe when I was first married, my husband and I took turns reading it aloud for laughs? We still say to each other "Hello there!" a la Marcy Stokes. No doubt about it: It wouldn't've been the same childhood w/o Cleary.

"Today I'm Going to Meet A Boy."
Jane Purdy is a fifteen-year-old girl live in a fifteen year old world where the coolest girls are the ones wearing cashmere sweaters with blonde hair and tan skin. Jane Purdy wants luck to be on her side and...it gets on her side right away. She meets Stan Crandall. He's the perfect guy! He's even tall enough for her to wear high heels around him!Yet Jane is nervous...is she ready for Stan Crandall?

I think every girl can relate in some way to this book. It's a great read, filled with romance. So do yourself a favor and pick it up!

Boy Crazy
This story is and older time story about a girl named Jane Purdy. She is a girl who isn't noticed all the time and spends most of her time babysitting. One day when she is babysitting a little naughty girl who is going to dump ink on the white rug runs into the Doggie Diner deliverer who is totally cute. Later he calls her and they start dating. When the school dance comes he says he is going with someone else and she is devastated. Is Stan like someone else? Read this book to find out what happens. ... Read more

Product Description

What's all the fuss about?

At first, Maggie is just being contrary when she tells her parents she doesn't need to learn cursive. Then her teacher, Mrs. Leeper, says Maggie's cursive is so untidy her name looks like "Muggie," and Maggie decides she will never, never read or write cursive. Nobody can make her. But when Mrs. Leeper appoints Maggie class mail messenger, the notes Maggie must carry are in cursive. Maggie can't read the notes, but she suspects some of them are about her. Now she really has a problem!

Customer Reviews (26)

Awesome reading group's review
There is this girl Maggie who is in third grade. She refuses to write cursive. Her teacher says the way she writes her name looks like, "Muggie." Her teacher makes her the message monitor and tells everyone about what happened. Soon all of her friends are talking about Maggie's decision. She figures out they're talking about her and feels INDIGNANT. With Muggie Maggie ringing in her ear, Maggie feels angry. The principal asks her why she won't write cursive. She says, "I just don't want to." Will Maggie learn to write cursive?


If you don't like to write cursive, or you don't want to, we recommend this book to you. We'd also recommend this book to you if you DO like to write cursive. This book is short and exciting. If you like books that will make you laugh and upset you should read this book. Nobody's going to make Maggie learn cursive. Or will they?

Muggie Maggie
I found moments of this book that read much like Frindle, so that was really neat.Maggie was a very relatable character--show me one person who actually liked the cursive-writing units in school!Back then, I'm sure people actually used it, but still.Such a waste of time for a lot of illegible scribblings!It's a very short book, read in its entirety while my mom drove home from the library, and yet, within 70 pages, Cleary managed to create a fully developed, highly memorable character in Maggie.The charm that was lacking highly in Dear Mr. Henshaw and Strider made an awesome reappearance here!Cute!

Rating: 5/5

Muggie Maggie
Muggie Maggie is about a girl named Maggie who does not want to write cursive.Her teacher,mom and dad try to make her do it but she still refuses to do it.But once she haers people all over the school talking about her she makes herself write it.This book makes me feel sad in a way.It makes me sad because she refuses to right cursive and because it took her that long to write it.I reccomend this book because she had someing that she couldn't do and some people have the same thing and I want some kid to know that there are other kids like them even if they aren't real.

a reason to learn
i read this book when i was younger, and i liked it so much that i reread it again.it's a cute story about a girl, maggie, who doesn't want to learn cursive.her teacher lets her not learn cursive and appoints her offical class mail messenger.knowing that maggie is very snoppy and will want to read all the mail she delivers, the teacher writes the messages in cursive.then maggie begins to think that some of the mail is about her!now if she wants to find out what everyone is saying about her, she will need to learn cursive.will maggie learn, or will she never know what is being written.a cute story and nice lesson about not giving up just because the task proves a bit difficult.

a fairly good book
I read Muggie Maggie in 4th grade and still have my copy. This is quite agood book, and like most books, it has some good parts, and some not so good ones. ... Read more

Product Description
All your favorite Ralph Mouse tales in one boxed set -- just in time for the holiday season! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

book review
Bought for my 7 & 8 year old grand daughters because I read these as a kid - they love them.Good quality.I actually want to try and read them again if I get to where they live and get a chance.Would like to see if I can still enjoy them

The Ralph Mouse Collection
Product arrived in conditionnoted by the seller. will be going to my grandchildren in Israel.They love the Cleary books.

I highly recommend these Classic books
I bought this set of books for my 2nd grade daughter, as I remember enjoying them as a child, and she loved them.As they are not gender specific, I am hanging onto them for my younger son to read in a couple of years as well. As the reading level is about a 4, they are appropriate for advanced readers as young as 2nd grade and as high as 5th or 6th grade.

Ralph the Mouse is for everyone
I haven't met a kid who didn't love Ralph. I loved the Ralph books when I was a kid. My 6yr. old daughter has listened to the audio countless times and we have read all the books together. I recently ordered the collection for my nephew's 7th birthday. We added a small mouse and a motorcycle to go with the books and he really liked it. These books aretimeless and kid friendly. Beverly Cleary knows how to get a child's attention, keep it and open up the imagination.

mouse and the motorcycle
I remember reading this book as a child and am now reading it to my 6yr old son who is facinated with cars, motorcycles, and speed.He was disappointed b/c there are few pictures, but once we started reading he was begging for one more chapter before bedtime.We both enjoy these books. ... Read more

Product Description

Henry Huggins can't wait until he turns eleven years old, so he can have a paper route like his friend Scooter McCarthy. Henry wants to prove to the route manager that he is responsible enough to handle the job right now. First he thinks of giving away free kittens with newspaper subscriptions, and then his advertising scheme helps his class win the newspaper drive. But he still doesn't have a paper route. Will Ramona Quimby, making a real pest of herself, help Henry get the job he wants so much?

Customer Reviews (9)

I Enjoyed These Books As a Child, My Son Enjoys Them Too
This book series is excellent reading for youngsters. Good story lines, overall a good buy.

Beverly Cleary GETS boys
Oh, thank heavens for this series of books.Beverly Cleary seems to LIKE boys!It's such a nice change from all these "girls rule - boys are dumb" attitudes.

I like Henry's goal orientation.I like the way he relates to the other characters -- kind, honest, hopeful, straightforward, clever.I especially like how he treats the neighborhood pest, Ramona, a 4-year-old girl.He tries to shush her sometimes, but in the end, the story concludes with him finding a way to engage her curiosity and inventiveness.

I like how the chapters build on one another and lead to the goal.They are nice chapters -- each one tells its own story, but they do build to the conclusion.

Its a Pretty Good Book
This book is about Henry who wants to get a job delivering papers. A funny part of the book is when is goes to apply for the paper route. On the way, he stops at a rummage sale where there is a box with four kittens for sale for 5 cents each. He buys them all and tries to hide them in his shirt when he applies for the paper route. When he knocks on the door of the man who hires people for the job, a dog is at the door. The dog growls at Henry and one of the kittens pops out of his shirt. He pushes the kitten down, and it scratches him. The whole thing is a fiasco and he is told to come back in a year or two when he is older. It you want to know more about other funny things that happen to Henry or if he gets the paper route, I recommend you read this book.

Timelessly Entertaining!
As with the previous books, Henry and the Paper Route is written in chapter book style where each chapter is almost a short story in-and-of-itself and which all wind their way toward the ultimate goal (each book Henry has that ONE thing he's got to get or do) which makes for interesting reading, wondering how each part will ultimately work out with the end goal.It's clear from the title that this volume in the Henry Huggins series is all about Henry and his desire to get a paper route all his own and as the chapters go on, we see how he goes about proving he's ready to do that! With this book we also get to read more about Beezus and Ramona, Scooter, Ribsy and more!

Henry and the Paper Route is six chapters of boyishly good adventure geared toward Henry obtaining the paper route of his dreams!We start out with Henry in hot water over bringing home four kittens...this chapter is all about him making an interesting first impression with Mr. Capper (the newspaper guy).The second chapter is about his tireless search to find good homes for those kittens.Chapter three Henry engineers a clever plan to help his class get ahead in the school paper drive and in chapter four we find out if his plan was successful or not!Chapter five Henry meets Murph, boy genius and finds that Murph has transferred into the paper route he's had his eye on!Oh, no...in chapter six will Henry finally get that route or is he destined to only fill in and help Scooter out?Your young reader will love finding out!

I give this book five stars...though the Henry Huggins series was written in the 1940's and 50's and have a bit of a Leave It to Beaver feel with regards to the traditional family roles and quaint feel of the daily life of the kids in them...they are also rather timeless.Putting aside the money issues (yea, everything cost WAY less in these books than they do today), Henry Huggins is a clean cut typical boy looking for a bit of fun...but he's also honest, hard working, and clever in thinking of ways to get what he wants (the advertising thing for the paper drive for example)...and he's always respectful even when he's trying to scheme to get what he wants!Henry and the Paper Route (and all the other books in this series) are well worth reading...these are kids classics for a reason, because they are timelessly entertaining!

Monkey Business
I am 8 years old. I like all of the Beverly Cleary books. This book is funny. I especially liked the part when Ramona pinned a jump rope to her overalls and pretended she was a monkey. She went to the store with her family, and some people joked around and thought she was a new species for sale. Then she thought they were not joking and she ran away from the store. Ramona is four in this book, and she is my favorite character in the Beverly Cleary books. ... Read more

Product Description

At last, Henry Huggins's father has promised to take him fishing, on one condition. Henry's dog, Ribsy, has been in all sorts of trouble lately, from running off with the neighbor's barbecue roast to stealing a policeman's lunch. To go on the fishing trip, Henry must keep Ribsy out of trouble -- no chasing cats, no digging up lawns...and no getting anywhere near little Ramona Quimby, the pest of Klickitat Street.

Customer Reviews (26)

For Dogs and Little Boys and Everyone Who Loves Them
I used to dream of having my own dog.Not just a family dog, but one of my very own. Henry had Ribsy, or it may have been the other way around.

A boy and his dog, his unpredictable, exasperating, much loved dog.This story will touch the heart of any child who has cherished a pet, especially if that pet gets into trouble---again and again.This is another story that is fun to read aloud to your kids as you, as well as they, will relate to these adventures.

Henry Ribsy
I think that this is a good book because Ribsy gets most of the adventure.
from an eight year old:-)

great book for kids
This book is relatable for kids -- Henry is a real kid with real emotions.I like the way he acts with Ramona and Ribsy, and all the kids.It's very funny -- great book.In a universe of vulgar books for boys, this is a treasure of a book for any child.

Henry and Ribsy
ISBN 0380709171 - Beverly Cleary is one tough author to dislike.She's got writing for children down pat, and her books appeal to boys as well as girls - that's no small feat in world where everyone looks at Goosebumps as "boys' books" and the Babysitters Club as "girls' books".Cleary simply does "children's books" and does them well.

Henry would like very much to go fishing with his father, at the very least so that he can catch a really big Chinook to show up Scooter.Mr. Huggins even agrees to take Henry along, on one condition: keep Ribsy out of trouble until then.Piece of cake! thinks Henry.Blindly loving his dog, he cannot imagine that keeping such a good dog out of trouble would require much effort at all.But Ribsy is Ribsy and, despite Henry's confidence, Ribsy just can't seem to help himself.

Fantastically funny stuff!The trouble Ribsy can manage to get into never fails to make me laugh, even after all these years.While times have changed and your children probably don't wander the neighborhood quite as freely as these kids do, children and dogs stay pretty much the same and, man, are they fun.The series of suggestions for how Henry should pull out his loose teeth is, alone, worth the price of the book.Get it for your kid - and be sure to read it, again, yourself.

- AnnaLovesBooks

Great Read Aloud book
I have been reading this series as a bed time story for my 7 year old.He really enjoys it, as do I.Although written more than 50 years ago, the stories are timeless.My son has not complained!I grew up reading all the Ramona books, and enjoy the Henry series now.Ramona even shows up in this series, since they are neighbors.The chapters are about 30 pages long, I just read half a chapter each night.It is hard finding a series for boys, so I am always happy to review the ones we enjoy. ... Read more

Product Description

There was nothing Otis Spofford liked better than stirring up a little excitement, particularly at school. A less resourceful teacher than Mrs. Gitler would have found him pretty hard to take. But even Mrs. Gitler did not entirely relish the bullfight at the fiesta arranged for the P.T.A. meeting. Otis was disappointed at not being the toreador, but as the front half of the bull he managed to steal the whole show, to the annoyance of his classmates and his teacher. It was then that Mrs. Gitler suggested that Otis might someday get his comeuppance.

Of all Otis's acquaintances, the neat and well-behaved Ellen Tebbits was the one he most enjoyed teasing. Strangely enough, it was Ellen who at last brought about his comeuppance. But before that happens, his losing spitball battle with Mrs. Gitler, his surprising affection for the experimental baby rat, and his insect collecting on behalf of the football hero provide a feast of fun for any child or grownup.

Mrs. Cleary's gifts as a writer are many, and her real understanding warms every page of this wonderful story of a "bad boy."

Customer Reviews (18)

Almost my autobiography
As a child, Otis and I would have looked like twins.And the devilment he engages in was the inspiration for many of my own adventures. Beverly Cleary has the ability to portray children in such a way that you feel you know each one personally.

Otis is such a rascal boy and you find yourself loving him in spite of yourself.His antics are believable.His adventures are realistic.His charm goes right past his sometimes awful behavior and makes you sure you have met him somewhere.Read this book for fun and get a glimpse of Ms. Cleary's insight into the mind of this remarkable little boy.

great old favorite
This is a classic story by a wonderful childrens writer. I bought this for my 9yr old who now loves to read. This classic story is a must for all!

Otis Spofford
Beverly Cleary is one of my favorite children's authors.Her books really strike a chord with her audience and they still remind me of fond memories and not so fond today.Otis Spofford is a unique and very funny character that will win fans every time they read this book.

Otis Spofford
I was thrilled to find out that Otis Spofford was kind of a spin-off companion book to Ellen Tebbits (although it took me a while to figure out which I should read first :P).One of the first things I noticed was that it continued Cleary's tradition of sorts of having oddly named characters, adding much of the quirky charm for her books.Overall, I liked the book, not much more to say that I haven't already said re: Ellen Tebbits and the others--well written, incredibly relatable, and this one has the bonus of featuring a male protagonist as well.As for specifics, I loved that Otis (and Ellen) interfered in the class science experiment--too cute!I did find the scene where bug-killing was explicitly described a little blechh to my squeamish stomach (didn't help that I was already nauseated!) and while I'm sure some kids would enjoy this scene, I know others would really rather not read that.I also found some of the imagery surrounding Native Americans highly objectionable.Other than that, cute ending that tied up both Otis and Ellen very well.

Rating: 4/5

One of Beverly Cleary's less well-known characters
First published in 1953, this is the sequel to Cleary's "Ellen Tebbits," about a girl whose nemesis, a troublemaking boy named Otis Spofford, now gets the spotlight.Otis is cut out of the same cloth as Dennis The Menace and Calvin & Hobbes, he is 100% self-absorbed, action-craving, all-American boy and even though he'd never admit it, he loves to tease his classmate Ellen because, well, maybe he kind of likes her. The book starts slowly, since Otis is such an unsympathetic character, it's harder to care about him or his hijinks. Things pick up, though, when his path intersects with Ellen's and the story gains more emotional color.Particularly delightful is the moment when Ellen and her friend Austine realize that they don't *have* to run when Otis chases them, and the sudden comeuppance of this dopey third-grade bully is a classic moment in kid's lit.This is arguably one of Cleary's lesser works, but it's still pretty enriching.It's also a little darker and more negative than many of her other books: probably best to keep precocious younger readers away from this one for a while, if you don't want to them to learn, for example, how to wreck a classroom when the teacher steps out. But for older kids who have already discovered this kind of misbehavior, this book could be both fun and instructive. (Joe Sixpack, ReadThatAgain children's book reviews) ... Read more

Product Description
Generations of children have grown up with Henry Huggins, Ramona Quimby, and all of their friends, families, and assorted pets. For everyone who has enjoyed the pranks and schemes, embarrassing moments, and all of the other poignant and colorful images of childhood brought to life in Beverly Cleary books, here is the fascinating true story of the remarkable woman who created them. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

My favourite author when I was a child
Beverly Cleary was my favourite author when I was a child. I was introduced to her fiction when my grade four teacher, Mrs. Burnett, read Ramona the Pest to the class. I then read every book Cleary wrote, up until the mid-eighties. I was by then sixteen or seventeen years old yet still in love with her tales of Ramona Quimby. Beverly Cleary occupies a special place in my heart as I have such fond memories of laughing with her stories and identifying with her characters and the messes they often found themselves in.

Cleary has written two memoirs, the first, A Girl from Yamhill (1988) and the second, My Own Two Feet (1995).

A constant throughout Cleary's life is her dominating, oppressive, restrictive and very unhappy mother. Cleary's fictional mother figures certainly belie the upbringing she had under her own mother's thumb. Cleary's mother discouraged her from everything she wanted to do, whether it was a major or minor life event. Mrs. Cleary disapproved of her daughter's choice of college education, of all her boyfriends and especially her husband, of her decision even to have children, and of her decision to become a children's author. One might expect Cleary, an only daughter, to rebel or become disillusioned with life and develop addictions or insecurities. As Cleary grew up she simply learned to ignore her mother and do what she wanted anyway, which was in her own way a quiet rebellion.

Each memoir is written in the Cleary style that places the author herself into the lead role. I felt as though I could substitute ten-year-old Beverly Bunn for Ellen Tebbits or Henry Huggins and I would be none the wiser. As I read these memoirs, I was transported back to the mid-seventies when I was reading a new Cleary book every few days, only this time I was laughing along with little Beverly Bunn's schooltime antics and then cringing and laughing as she faces the public as Mrs. Beverly Cleary, 1940's librarian.

Cleary tells of some eccentric characters she had to work with while working as a children's librarian in California in the 1940's. World War II meant rationing and money and materials were tight. While Cleary worked at a bookstore during busy Christmas seasons, she wrote about a certain Mrs. Herbert:

> This was the same woman who wrote the date on every light bulb installed so the store could be reimbursed if bulbs did not live up to their guarantees.

A Girl from Yamhill tells of Cleary's life up until she enters college in 1934; My Own Two Feet ends after the publication of her first children's novel, the enormously successful Henry Huggins in 1950.

A Girl From Yamhill
Another wonderful autobiography written by the greta author Beverly Cleary!I am reading this book out loud to my 3rd grade students.They areenjoying her story very much.

Oregon - Two Early Decades
Beverly Cleary, an esteemed librarian and author of numerous children's books, shares her story about growing up in Yamhill, Oregon in the roaring twenties and depression thirties. She was born in 1916 and resides in California today. I quickly ordered the sequel, 'My Own Two Feet".

Thebook is a revealing glimpse at a sensitive and curious young girl, an only child, coping with early childhood and her school years in Oregon.The Williamette Valley and Portland, Oregon, are beautifully described as the area was in the early 20th. century.

Beverly shares family pictures, provides pioneer ancestor background, describes her schools and teachers, social life and interests in a delightfully easy to read manner.Her mother taught Beverly book appreciation, as well as music and reminded her always to "use her imagination"!

I love this woman for her keen insights and independence, and recommend her memoir (and all her children's books as well.)It is surprisingly different from other memoirs and holds your interest all the way thru, leaving you wanting to know more about her as she connects with the reader in a personal way.

A memoir of a book review
Beverly Cleary
A girl from Yamhill
Author: Beverly Cleary

Mostly all children love and grow up reading Beverly Cleary's books. But some wonder, "What was her childhood like?" In this autobiography, Beverly Cleary tells the story of her life. It starts out from when she's a little girl living on a big farm in Yamhill, Oregon and goes all the way until she's in her senior year in Portland. Beverly lived in Portland near Klickitat Street which inspired her for the Ramona series, which are one of the most favored today.
Once, Beverly's elementary teacher assigned her class a creative writing project. When Beverly turned in hers, her teacher was so pleased with her writing that she read Beverly's paper out loud to the class and told her she had a gift for writing. Beverly wasn't a really good speller in elementary school. Her class held a spelling bee and she was given the word "beautiful" to spell. She started out with "beau..." but someone gasped which made Beverly think she'd spelled it wrong. Beverly ended up spelling the word "beau..." and was disqualified. When she was younger she wouldn't read any books. Her mother didn't understand. All of Beverly's relatives loved reading. Eventually, one time she was sick, she finally found her love for reading.
I really enjoyed this book and would rate it a 4 and a half because I myself love Beverly's books and it was really interesting to read about her life. I usually don't like biographies/ autobiographies, but this one really got me interested.
I think Beverly's a little like me because we both refused to read when we were little. I didn't hate reading, but all of the books I wanted to read weren't the kinds of book my mom wanted me to read. I wanted to read books about teen life and very up-to-date. My mother wanted me to read historical fiction and/or nonfiction. I love all books now except for nonfiction.
Beverly's style of writing is creative, descriptive and very fun to read. Most of her books are for younger children but she has written a couple for teens.

beautiful simplicity
i loved the ramona quimby books growing up.i read them until they fell apart.after reading A Girl from Yamhill, i'm considering buying and reading them all over again.Beverly Cleary writes so simply with few descriptions and yet you can see, hear, smell, feel everything she writes about.i am never left wondering or wanting.her love of people and places, especially when she writes about her grandparents and Puddin', shines through without the annoying wordiness i find in other memoirs.

i especially loved the pictures scattered throughout the books.she is adorable and you can see a little bit of ramona in her.:) ... Read more

Product Description

First Date

Fifteen-year-old Jean is astonished when a handsome Johnny whirls her ‘round the dance floor. She's never given much thought to boys before; now Johnny is all that's on her mind. Finally she finds the courage to invite him to a dance. But the excitement of a new dress and a scheme to take Johnny's photograph cannot stop jean's growing uneasiness that she likes Johnny a lot more than he likes her . . .

Customer Reviews (16)

Confusing
When I first started to read this book I liked it. In the middle of the book I was a little bored. And in the end I was satisfied with what I had read. This book is a goood book for tweens, it helps a little bit to know that your not the only one who is obssesed with their crush :).

Jean and Johnny
My best friend had this book when we were preteens and I borrowed and read it numerous times.Now as as adult I wanted to revisit the past and see if it was still the book I remembered.The excitement of "young love" (as it was in the 60s) is still evident in all its innocence.I don't know that modern teens would find this titillating enough for their tastes, but I found it to be still refreshing.

First love.
I love this book! Its about first love and how someone that is for you may be right under your nose the whole time. The bad and the good about first love.

A Very Retro Book...
Jean is a 15 years old girl who is much like many of us as teenagers - shy, not that well dressed, and not very popular. But on the first day of her Christmas vacation, the handsome & popular Johnny Chessler asks her to dance.

With much encouragement from her equally geeky best friend Elaine Mundy, she starts seeking Johnny's company in school - and suddenly her life is changed once Johnny actually seems to notice her...

In many ways the book is extremely outdated - the clothing styles and the prices at the drive in are perfect examples. While the novelty of going out for a coke may be lost on a generation who practically lives on eating out (or at least takeout) - the issues Jean is going through will speak to most girls her age.

A throwback to a simpler time that bridges the gap between generations
It's the first night of Christmas vacation when fifteen-year-old Jean Jarrett feels something wonderful brewing in the air. Sadly, she can't place her finger on it, all she can say is that she can feel that something nice will happen. And it does. Jean is simply accompanying her best friend, Elaine Mundy, and her mother to the local country club to drop off holiday decorations, when Jean is picked out of the crowd by a tall, handsome boy and asked to dance. And so kicks off a whirlwind adventure. While Jean does not get the boy's name, Elaine is determined to find him again, and seeks him out at school where he begins speaking to Jean on a regular basis, and making her feel special. Jean absolutely adores the attention that she's receiving, but she can't help but question it at times. After all, Johnny is a seventeen-year-old senior who is tall and handsome, and could easily have his pick of any girl at Northgate High, yet he seems genuinely interested in Jean. Short, ungraceful, glasses-wearing Jean, who can't sew a skirt together evenly, and spends her Friday and Saturday nights fantasizing about the slightly musically inept TV star, Kip Laddish, and writing to her pen pals across the world. However, as the school year progresses, Johnny seems to pay even more attention to Jean. He goes out of his way to meat her in the school hallways, calls on her to go to the drive-in for a Coke, invites her to hang out with him and his friends during lunch, and even attempts to come around to her house on the weekends to hang out with her and her folks. Jean can't help but believe that Johnny really does like her, but Jean's older sister, Sue, seems slightly skeptical. Jean is sure that Sue is simply jealous because no boys ever come calling for her. But, as Jean continues to learn more about Johnny, she begins to wonder if Sue isn't correct. Maybe Johnny doesn't feel as strongly towards her as she thought. But as long as he's spending time pursuing her, Jean feels inclined to savor each and every moment with Johnny.

With the amount of racy books on the market nowadays, it's a wonderful feeling to have the opportunity to go back to basics, and relive the nostalgia and innocence of a simpler time, when girls spent their afternoons sewing and baking, and going out to eat at a restaurant was a big deal that happened on very rare occasions. And that is what readers are treated to with Beverly Cleary's JEAN AND JOHNNY. Jean is such an adorable character, whose awkwardness is charming, and really brings her tale to life. The tight-knit relationship she experiences with her parents, and her older sister, Sue, is adorable, and is such a pleasure to read about in a sea of novels filled with teenagers who do nothing but bicker with their parents, and share rivalries with their siblings. The hard-time's that seem to plague Jean's family, while bittersweet, are also quite enjoyable to read about, as they illustrate the meaning of a penny, and the hardships that people fell upon during this particular era, when scrimping and saving was a way of life. Johnny is perfect as the cad-like big man on campus, whose ego is large, and love of himself is slightly laughable. Even as the hunk-esque character, however, Johnny is likable, in a slightly obnoxious way, who will appeal to readers of all ages. A throwback to a simpler time that bridges the gap between generations.

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer ... Read more

Product Description

Ramona Quimby, uno de los personajes más queridos de la literatura infantil, empieza el tercer grado con una maestra nueva que los llama "chices". Nuestra incontrolable heroína se enfrenta a un reto tras otro, desde lavarse la cabeza con huevos, hasta vomitar delante de toda la clase, cuando trata de demostrarle a la señora Ballenay que ella no es una "superfastidiosa".

Product Description

Jimmy and Janet are twins, but that doesn't mean they are just alike.

Customer Reviews (2)

My toddler boy/girl twins love these stories
My 2.5 year olds love these four stories.They are a little long to read all the way through in one sitting at this age.I skip some parts and shorten others in order to get through faster.But my kids love these four stories about Jimmy and Janet, 4 year old twins.They are wonderfully written and so true to twin-life.I did not know this until I bought the book, but author Beverly Cleary had boy/girl twins herself and I guess that's why she "nailed" it so well.I'm sure we will enjoy these stories for years to come.

P.S. The book has some pictures/illustrations but is mostly text -- it's not a picture book.The pictures do help my toddlers understand what's going on as I can point to the appropriate thing as I tell the story.

Third graders loved this book
My third graders enjoyed reading this book.They identified with the twins adventures and the dymanics of a sibling the same age. ... Read more

Product Description

Ramona Quimby is thrilled to be starting kindergarten. She likes a little boy named Davy so much she wants to kiss him, and she loves Susan's beautiful curls so much she wants to pull them to see them boing. Her teacher even promises her a present just for sitting still! So how does Ramona get in trouble? Well, anyone who knows Ramona knows that she is never a pest on purpose.

Customer Reviews (81)

Awesome Book!
The first book I read in the series about Ramona was Ramona the pest. From the first page to the last I enjoyed every single part of this story! It was very interesting and made me want to read more! Reading this book was great and a lot of fun1 I think it would even be fun for a little kid if their parent read to them each night. It was also a very easy book to relate to. Reading this book made me want to read all the other books in the series! Have fun reading!

A young reviewer

A Mom's Review
I waited until I was 38 to read my first Ramona book, and here's what I thought:
On writing alone, this book deserves more than 3 stars...it's clear, memorable, and interesting.My rating is more on content, and because the last chapter made me so frustrated (which, once again, could just be good writing) that I had to offer an angle.

Ramona's parents are distant and clueless.In my view, sometimes "spirited" children just need some loving, strong absolutes and swift, fair punishment; neither of which Ramona's parents were prepared to offer. So, everyone suffered for a week trying to figure out what decision this 5-yr-old was going to make, when it could have been over in one day.I don't know about you, but it's never okay in my house to kick your bedroom wall...not when you're happy, not when you're mad... so the fact that there was no stronger guidance for Ramona here bugged me.

Having said that, I totally understand that this is a fictional, fun book & should not be taken too seriously.It should, though, be explored together, so you don't suddenly get more tantrums from your kids and wonder why.Also, SPOILER ALERT for younger children who still undeniably believe in the tooth fairy... that is brought into question in one of the chapters, so just be aware. Otherwise, cute read.

Ramona the Pest
Everything was fine. The book was in excellent condition, I get it fast. I'm happy to make my purchase in here.

Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary
Ramona the Pest is a great book that I can know that it is safe to read to my students. I read it every year. Along with all the other Ramona books (Beezus and Ramona, Ramona the Brave, Ramona and her Father, Ramona and her Mother, Ramona Quimby Age 8, Ramona's World, and Ramona Forever). My students love the book and you will, too!

There's a reason we all grew up reading this one :)
Beverly Cleary has a real gift. Although her books span a period of decades, they all read as though they were written today. There's a few odd details in some of them, but mostly they rely on good storytelling and... well, very real-seeming children.

This is the story of Ramona's kindergarten year. It can be hard to find chapter books that are worth reading to kindergarteners, but this is it - Ramona actually seems like an actual child who is actually, really, truly in kindergarten! When she's told to "sit here for the present" she does, waiting for her present. When she struggles to refrain from pulling perfect Susan's curly "boingy" hair, you can feel how hard it is. And it's easy for all small children to understand why Susan's trying to act like a grown-up is annoying for Ramona.

I would really suggest this as a first read-aloud chapter book for a young kid. ... Read more

Product Description

Ramona Quimby is the youngest of all the famous characters in Mrs. Cleary's wonderful Henry Huggins stories. She is also far and away the most deadly. Readers of the earlier books will remember that Ramona has always been a menace to Beezus, her older sister, to Henry, and to his dog Ribsy. It is not that Ramona deliberately sets out to make trouble for other people. She simply has more imagination than is healthy for any one person.

In this book Ramona and her imagination really come into their own. Starting with a fairly mild encounter with the librarian, which is harder on Beezus than anyone else, Ramona goes from strength to strength, winding up by inviting her entire kindergarten class to a part at her home without mentioning it to her mother. The riot that ensues is probably the most hilarious episode in this extremely funny book, which proves that Mrs. Cleary's imagination is almost as lively as Ramona's.

There's no one in the world like Beverly Cleary, either. This terrificallypopular author of over two dozen children's books has withstood the test oftime for generations, as her many awards, including the Newbery Medal,attest. Two books in the Ramona series, Ramona and Her Father andRamona Quimby, Age8, were also named Newbery Honor Books. Louis Darling's wonderfulink illustrations are the kind that will stay with a reader for a lifetime.(Ages 8 to 12) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Customer Reviews (51)

A Home-Schooler's Review
Beezus and Ramona is a comedy written by Beverly Cleary.Beezus is a 10 year old girl dealing with a mischievous little sister that always wants attention.Ramona is, as I told you, a mischievous little girl that is four years old.The basic plot is that Beezus must deal with a fussy, often annoying Ramona.

The character that I like best is Beezus because she finally decides that she doesn't always have to get along with Ramona, but they should still love each other.

My favorite part is when Ramona locked Beezus's friend's dog in the bathroom.Ramona was mad at the dog because he ate her cookie.Then Ramona had to go to the bathroom, and they had go next door to use their toilet.While they were at the neighbor's house, she told them to use a nail file to unlock the door.So they got the dog out.

They live in the American suburbs in the 1950's.Life is a little different compared to modern times of today.The kids are allowed to do lots of things by themselves, like walk to school alone and stay at the house while their mother runs errands.There are still some things that they do like today, like sisters fighting and celebrating birthdays with family and friends.

I like this book a lot.I would recommend it for ages 7 to 10 because they might understand the story a little better. It is a fun book for sisters, cousins, or friends to read together.

Not the best, but...
I love this book just because it is the beginning of the series, but Beezus comes across as a wimp.If your little sister is riding around the house making a racket, you don't just sigh and do whatever she wants to make her stop -- you yank that harmonica out of her mouth.Or, better, you threaten some horrible (G-rated) punishment to make her stop on her own.Remember, balance of power and all that.Beezus really acts like the typical 50s "good girl" here, while Ramona seems to be blazing a trail toward the 1960s and beyond.Thank heaven Beezus grows a spine and acts a little less perfect in later books.

Great book for children with difficult younger siblings
Beezus and Ramona is a character driven chapter book that focuses on Beatrice (nicknamed "Beezus") Quimby, the 9-year-old sister of 4-year-old Ramona Quimby. The book is essentially a series of vignettes depicting the relationship between the two sisters, in which Ramona's mischief features prominently. The book is different from the other books in the Ramona series in that Beezus is the protagonist instead of Ramona. Thus, the book is essentially a portrait of a young sibling relationship--especially its challenges--from the perspective of an older sibling.

Since this chapter book is character- and relationship-driven, the plot is minimal. However, the vignettes do develop the central theme of Beezus's struggle to feel love for her sister. Beezus--the quintessential conscientious bookish first-born child, concerned about doing things right--worries over her periodic anger and resentment toward Ramona--the classic misbehaving baby of the family who always seems to get her way and wreck things for her sister.

Throughout the book, Cleary subtly paints an alternative picture of sisterhood in the happy relationship between Beezus's mother and her sister Beatrice (the aunt after whom Beezus was named). Beezus adores her Aunt Beatrice--she's a young, pretty, jovial schoolteacher that drives a yellow convertible; what's not to love?

The book culminates with Beezus's 10th birthday dinner, which Aunt Beatrice attends. A dinner conversation between Mrs. Quimby and Aunt Beatrice, in which they recall (with laughter) the sibling rivalry of their youth, helps Beezus re-envision her relationship with the exasperating Ramona. Beezus realizes that she doesn't always have to feel love toward her little sister, and she gains hope for a happier sister-relationship when they both get older. After all, if Aunt Beatrice was once a frustrating little sister, then there must be hope for Ramona too!

The subjective appeal of Beezus and Ramona lies chiefly in the humor of Ramona's antics. From the reader's perspective, Ramona's clever mischief is hilarious. For example, once when Beezus is looking after Ramona while their mother is out, Beezus finds Ramona sitting in the basement by a big box of apples, eating one bite out of each apple and then tossing it aside. When her big sister orders her to stop at once, Ramona coolly explains, "But the first bite tastes best..." (104). Then, to try to evade trouble with her sister, Ramona claims that she just wants to "share" the apples with her sister. Sharing is good, right? Classic! This chapter book is filled with similarly sharp, hilarious episodes that reflect Cleary's acute insight into young children.

The book's theme of sibling relationships will also be appealing to children with siblings--especially those with younger siblings, and especially girls. Virtually any child with a younger sibling could probably relate to and identify with Beezus in some way, and so would be interested to find out how Beezus manages to get along with her difficult little sister.

Finally, the feature of the book that makes the sibling relationship so compelling is Cleary's excellent character development. Cleary nails the youngest sibling character with Ramona: just the right combination of funny, mischievous, demanding, manipulative, and exasperating. She has a real knack for the funny logic of a 4-year-old. Ramona is surely a forerunner of contemporary characters like Junie B. Jones (e.g., see Junie B. Jones's First Boxed Set Ever! (Books 1-4)).

Cleary also develops Beezus to a tee. For example, after the encouraging birthday conversation between Mrs. Quimby and Aunt Beatrice (during the course of which Ramona was sent to her room yet again for being disobedient), Cleary describes an interaction between Beezus and her mother thus: " `Mother,' whispered Beezus, happier than she had felt in a long time, `I hope Ramona comes back before we have my birthday cake` " (p. 180). Here we see a realistically softened Beezus, who has new resources with which she can both appreciate and cope with her little sister.

The developmental value of this chapter book lies chiefly in its potential to help children deal with difficult younger siblings. Not only is it helpful that Cleary suggests that anger and exasperation are normal parts of young sibling relationships; her portrayal of Beezus's (albeit limited) patience with Ramona is also a lovely model for struggling older siblings. For example, Beezus often attends to her younger sister of her own accord, reading her favorite book to her, or taking her to the library. Cleary also helpfully shows that Beezus really admires certain qualities in her sister (e.g., her imagination), and thus encourages older siblings to see the positive side of their sometimes annoying younger siblings. Thus, Beezus is an exemplary big sister that children can both identify with and model themselves after.

The book's portrayal of family life is also developmentally valuable. Although the Quimbys are a traditional and somewhat quaint nuclear family (the book was written in the 1950s; what do you expect?), their family dynamics are healthy and functional, which is a breath of fresh air. Mrs. Quimby is a kind, gentle woman who parents with patience and equity, attentive to the special needs of both girls in their particular sibling roles and personalities. On the whole, then, Cleary's portrayal of family life is a charming, helpful example.

Finally, Beezus and Ramona is written at a level that will encourage the reading abilities of intermediate readers. It is an excellent book for children who are ready to graduate from easy chapter books, and could be enjoyable as a read-aloud for kids as young as six.

In sum, I highly recommend Beezus and Ramona.

Great Memories
Beezus and Ramona is a book that I read as a child.Ramona is a very mischivous little girl that keeps the family, including her big sister Beezus, hopping.She has an imagination larger then life shown by the craziness she gets into.For example, Ramona decided she wanted a party and invited all of her nursery school friends over and did not tell her mother.At the last minute Beezus and their mother had to entertain and feed fifteen young children.Beezus, try as she might, could never seem to go anywhere or have anything to herself.What Beezus wants more then anything else is a special day all to herself.Will she get it?Read on to find out!!

This story is a wonderful look back in time to when I was a child and could easily be read with or by your young reader today.There are wonderful illustrations that help demonstrate the antics that are Ramona. I can't wait to read the next book by Beverly Cleary to my young reader, or possibly he will read it to me!!

By Kerri J. Busteed
Author of Will's First HuntWill's First Hunt

Step into Ms. Cleary's Delightful World
Beverly Clearly can bring a family together with love of laughter and "storytime"You could not find a better way to teach reading skills, reflect on predicaments and experience vicariously the adventures and antics of these kids than with her books.

Beezus and Ramona prove that little sisters can be the bain of a growing girl's existence and this is especially true when it comes to these two sisters.Beezus both resents and cherishes her sister, Ramona.Ramona has a unique ability to get into problems that inevitably involve Beezus.This book is fun to read aloud. ... Read more

Product Description
Strider has a new habit. Whenever we stop, he places his paw on my foot. It isn't an accident because he always does it. I like to think he doesn't want to leave me.

Can a stray dog change the life of a teenage boy? It looks as if Strider can. He's a dog that loves to run; because of Strider, Leigh Botts finds himself running--well enough to join the school track team. Strider changes Leigh on the inside, too, as he finally begins to accept his parents' divorce and gets to know a redheaded girl he's been admiring. With Strider's help, Leigh finds that the future he once hated to be asked about now holds something he never expected: hope.

Customer Reviews (29)

[...] recommends this book
This story was about a boy named Leigh and his friend Barry.They find a dog and decide to have joint custody over him. No one believes that they will keep it. Do they keep it?Or does one of them get the dog?

I think other kids would enjoy reading this book.Strider starts out ok, but gets really good towards the end. Yes, I would recommend it. The characters were pretty much believable.I think you should read it.My favorite part was the ending - which I'm not going to give away - but I also liked the part when Geneva and Leigh pull weeds together.

AMAZING!!!
I read this book as a child and to this day it's still one of my favorite books of all time!!

Better than Henshaw
Strider was, in many ways, a more enjoyable read than its predecessor. Dear Mr. Henshaw was interesting, but Strider comes in at a more pivotal time in Leigh's life. He's just entering high school and has more complex problems (to a degree) to deal with. It was very interesting seeing how his life had changed since Dear Mr. Henshaw, particularly his relationship with his dad, which was no longer as strained. (I also was saddened, but not in a bad way, by the reference to Leigh's former favorite book, "Ways to Amuse a Dog") I did feel like there was too much description, particularly since this story is being told by a 14 year old boy. He does want to be a writer, but still, nobody actually writes like that, and it ruins some of the relatability. There were also big passages where nothing eventful happened and I found myself wanting to skip over them, because they really were just filler points. I strongly felt that the book should have ended with the scene with Leigh and his dad, as to me, that is the essence of both books and nothing that came afterwards was too notable. Let me correct myself there. There was one notable thing, which I'm sure Gordon Korman would be highly proud of: neither Bandit nor Strider died! Can you believe it? I'm having trouble processing it-a dog book in which the dog doesn't die. Thank you, thank you, thank you Beverly Cleary!

Rating: 3.5/5

strider book review
The first time that I read strider I didn't like it ,but it was great this time I enjoyed it a lot more. I would totally recommend this book. My two favorite parts in this book were went Leigh the main character invites Geneva to pick weeds with him and Leigh's composition for his english class during the second semester that was only nouns and verbs.The people that I would recommend this book to is anyone that could relate to loving dogs or loving sports.

GREAT BOOK
Great book.Great quality also.This is a great book for a child or for a fun, grown-up quick read. ... Read more

Product Description

Cuando Leigh Botts envía a su escritor preferido una extensa lista de preguntas, el Señor Henshaw le responde con otra lista de preguntas. Al principio, Leigh se enoja muchísimo pero cuando termina de responderle, se da cuenta de que en papel se puede expresar de una forma que jamás se hubiera atrevido personalmente. Las cartas de Leigh y el diario que éstas le inspiran a escribir, originan un libro conmovedor y divertido acerca de encontrarse a sí mismo.

Customer Reviews (2)

Classic Kids Book
I collect, gather, buy etc... school supplies for an orphanage in Guatemala.This classic story, which I read as a kid, is beautiful, simple story that teaches about friendship is an easy enough read for younger kids, but the message still rings true for adults.

Dear Mr. Henshaw
This book is about a young boy named Leigh Botts who writes letters to an author, Mr. Henshaw.Leigh Botts parents are divorced and he does not get to see his dad too much.Leigh writes in his journal when he does not write to Mr. Henshaw.Leigh's has a dog named Bandit that lives with hisDad.This is a great book that teaches journal writing. ... Read more

Product Description

Mitch and Amy both think being twins is fun, but that doesn't stop them from squabbling. Amy is good at reading. Mitch is a math whiz. Amy likes to play pretend. Mitch would rather skateboard. They never want to watch the same television show. And they always try to get the better of each other.

Then the school bully starts picking on Mitch-and on Amy, too. Now the twins have something rotten in common: Alan Hibbler. This twosome must set aside their squabbles and band together to defeat a bully!

Customer Reviews (15)

Twins = Trouble
Reviewed by Matthew Feliciano for Reader Views (1/09)

"Mitch and Amy" is about twin bother and sister named Mitch and Amy.They are nine-years-old and very different. They both liked different things and both were good at something the other wasn't.Amy was good at cooking and reading and Mitch was good at building things.They did not get along very well at all.They also tattle on each other all the time and see who gets the other in more trouble.

The school bully, Alan Hibbler, starts picking on Mitch.When Mitch built his homemade skateboard, Alan Hibbler broke it into pieces and threw them at Mitch.Alan also threw eucalyptus buds at Mitch and he threw balls of dirt and grass at him.Mitch tried to ignore Alan's bullying but once Alan started picking on Amy, Mitch had enough.He was determined to stop Alan once and for all!

In order to stop the bullying, Mitch tried a few things. He tried to fight Alan, but they ended up in detention for fighting on school grounds.He tried telling his parents what was going on, but that didn't work either.Alan got meaner after Mitch's parents called Alan's parents.It seemed like things were never going to better. But they did.Things got better because Alan, just like Mitch, had trouble reading.They had this in common.Once Alan found out that Mitch had trouble reading like he did, he stopped bullying him because he felt sorry for him.He also stopped bullying Amy, too.

I really liked this book a lot.It was funny and it sounded very realistic.I would recommend "Mitch and Amy" by Beverly Cleary to anyone who wants to read a good book.

Mitch & Amy
I REALLY liked this one.A lot.A lot a lot.It was a great portrayal of twins, and I'm sure any twins reading would have gotten a kick out of it.Again, classic Ramona-type material/humor.The alternating chapters were great, and surprisingly for once, I found myself relating to the male character, Mitch, more than Amy, who struck me as kind of a stuck up spoiled brat.The problems the twins deal with are common ones, though, particularly the bully problem ("He's the type who's nice to grown ups but not to kids."How many of us know a person like that?)Minor detail, I adored that the kids considered "school" a bad word, I would have definitely done that as a kid.The only thing I disliked was the ending--I felt some more resolution, a more significant scene, was needed between the twins.

Rating: 5/5

Sibling rivalry at its funniest!
Nine-year-old twins Mitchell and Amy are opposites -- he's good in math and bad in reading, while Amy's good in reading and bad at math. She is serious and worries about everything, while he just plain doesn't seem to care. And no matter what Mitchell or Amy does, it generally results in the other running to complain to their parents.

It seems the twins will never find common ground...until a bully comes along. Although he begins to torment them separately, it's working together that Mitchell and Amy will finally begin to see eye to eye.

A 7th Grade Student from California
Twins Mitch and Amy are totally different from each other.
While Mitch does best in his multiplication tables, Amy does best in her reading. They fight almost constantly, about the littlest things, and they like to annoy each other, like when Mitch had to read aloud to their mom, Amy sat in the same room, and kept on bugging him by gloating on which page she was on, and when their parents forgot about making Amy do her multiplication tables, Mitch reminded them. They never had anything in common, until Alan Hibbler, the neighborhood bully, bothered both Mitch and Amy. The twins set aside thier differences and then they went against Alan.


I think this is a good book, but then since I don't have any siblings, I couldn't really feel the pain that they go through at times, arguing and fighting. But then Mitch and Amy kind of helps. It also tells about standing up to bullies, such as Alan Hibbler.

Mitch And Amy review
Do you have a twin brother or sister? Mitch has a twin sister that has trouble with multiplication, but he has trouble with reading. Mitch And Amy is a realistic fiction story by Beverly Cleary. The book is about twins that have nothing in common, but when faced against the 5th grade bully, Allen Hibler, their differences don't matter.
Beverly Cleary also wrote The Romona Quimby Series, which is like
Mitch And Amy. The setting is at home and school. The people I would encourage to read this book are kids, ages 8-10, who have a twin or kids who have friends who have twins because it shows both sides of the twin's lives.
The strong points in the book are when Mitch or Amy has their problems and the weak points in the story are the descriptions of the characters because the author didn't use many descriptions. Will you have to fight a bully with your sibling? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

classic
I read Ramona Quimby when I was little so when my oldest niece started reading, I wanted to get her these books. She loved them.

Great for children, and adults that want to walk down memory lane
This is the second set in the Ramona Collection.The series starts off with Ramona being about 4 years old, and just shares the adventures she has with her sister Beezus, her friends, her family, her teachers, etc.The books follow a time line and they are a fun, easy read.

I highly recommend them for parents who are looking for something fun and entertaining to help their child improve their reading skills, or pass the time.

I personally bought them because I read these during my elementary school years, and I was probably laughing harder this time around now that I have finished that stage in my life!!

My Granddaughter loves Ramona!
I purchased these books for my granddaughter! She absolutely loves them! It is such a joy reading her these stories! She laughs and laughs and we pause throughout the stories to discuss Ramona, her family and her friends actions! She cannot wait until I pull out these books and read her more about their adventures! I will continue to purchase ALL of the Ramona books!

Best children's book there is! :)
First I want to say thanks to all of your positive ratings and feedbacks. You've encouraged me and helped me decide to buy "Ramona Volume 1 AND 2."

These books are the best books there is. It's great for children who will enjoy the simplicity in the narration and the stories and the adventures. It's also great for adults. I found this book in here at Amazon.com., and I'm glad I did. I haven't read these books when I was young but I'm happy I found them now.

After reading them, I found myself thinking back to my childhood and it also helped me remember a few things like how I used to think when I was in that age. lol! Beverly Cleary wrote these books so well it's as if she wrote as she grew along with Ramona.

I also love the new illustrations by Tracy Dockray because it shows an updated look on today's kids which they can identify and it looks so much better.

I totally recommend the volume 1 and 2 of Ramona by Beverly Cleary. :D

Ramona Geraldine Quimby!!!
A classic for children.My 6 year old loves Ramona books.At first, I thought that Ramona's precocious ways would negatively influence my daughter, but surprisingly, she's learning a lot from these books.She finds the illustrations entertaining and looks forward to our chapter readings every evening. ... Read more