Ramona Quimby facts for kids

Ramona Geraldine Quimby is a fun and imaginative character created by author Beverly Cleary. She is the main character in her own series of books. Ramona first appeared in the Henry Huggins books as the younger sister of Henry's friend, Beatrice. Her family and friends call her "Beezus."

The books about Ramona follow her from nursery school all the way to fourth grade. They explore what it's like to grow up in a middle-class American family. The stories cover many common life events. These include a parent losing their job, dealing with money worries, and getting a new baby sibling. They also show how families handle the loss of a pet, school challenges, and relationships between brothers and sisters.

About Ramona Quimby

Ramona Quimby lives in a neighborhood called Grant Park in Portland, Oregon. Her home is on Klickitat Street.

Ramona's Early Years

When Ramona first appeared in books, she was a nursery schooler. She was very imaginative but could also be a bit annoying. She was the younger sister and best friend of Beatrice Quimby. Ramona often wanted to join her older sister and her friends. Sometimes, her playful mischief would bother them or even spoil their fun.

Ramona was shown as a very spirited young girl. She sometimes did things that caused trouble. For example, she once invited her whole class to a party at her house without telling her family. Another time, she bit into many apples just once to get attention.

Starting Kindergarten

Ramona became a main character in the book Ramona the Pest. In this story, the author focused more on Ramona's thoughts and feelings. Ramona is a curious and eager young girl about to start kindergarten. She is in a hurry to grow up. However, she often accidentally annoys people around her.

For instance, she pulled a classmate's curls out of curiosity. This led to her being suspended from school for a short time. She also disrupted naptime for her classmates. She wanted to be the "Wake-Up Fairy" for the day. Ramona also misunderstood the words to the national anthem.

Growing Up in Elementary School

After Ramona the Pest, the series continued to focus on Ramona's point of view. The books tell about her experiences through her elementary school years. Ramona always tries to act grown-up. She is in a rush to get older. But things often don't go as she plans. This can sometimes lead to embarrassing moments for Ramona.

Throughout the series, Ramona has a special liking for car names. In Ramona the Pest, she has a doll named Chevrolet. This doll looks very old and worn. Her classmates laughed at her until her teacher stepped in to help. Later, in Ramona Forever, she suggested naming her new baby sibling Aston Martin.

Ramona's Imagination

Ramona keeps her active imagination throughout all the books. In Ramona and her Father, her dad loses his job. Ramona then daydreams about becoming rich and famous for her family. She imagines starring in television commercials.

In first grade, Ramona made a smart-looking paper owl for a craft project. Another student, Susan Kushner, copied her idea. Susan received praise for her own owl. Ramona was so angry that she later damaged Susan's owl in Ramona the Brave. In Beezus and Ramona, Ramona often pretends to be a rabbit.

Becoming an Older Sister

At the end of Ramona Forever, Ramona became an older sister. Her baby sister was named Roberta Day Quimby. Ramona finally felt happy about her age at the end of the last book, Ramona's World. This was at her tenth birthday party. During the party, she made up with Susan, who had been her rival. Ramona learned that Susan was always trying to be perfect.

Ramona's Age Through the Books

Ramona's age changes as the series goes on.

• In the first Henry Huggins books, Ramona is between two and four years old.
• She is four years old in Beezus and Ramona.
• In Henry and the Clubhouse and Ramona the Pest, she is five years old.
• Ramona is six years old in Ramona the Brave.
• In Ramona and Her Mother and Ramona and Her Father, Ramona is seven years old.
• She is eight years old in Ramona Quimby, Age 8 and Ramona Forever.
• In Ramona's World, Ramona starts out at nine years old. She then turns ten at the end of the book.

As Ramona grows up, she also becomes much more mature. By age ten, she is still very lively and imaginative. But she can now better understand what adults and her friends are thinking. She also understands their needs more clearly.