Ramona the Brave

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Ramona the Brave
RamonaTheBrave.jpg
First edition
Author Beverly Cleary
Illustrator Alan Tiegreen
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Series Ramona (novel series)
Genre Children's novel
Published1975 (William Morrow)
Media typePrint (paperback)
Pages189 pp
ISBN 0-688-22015-0
Preceded by Ramona the Pest  
Followed by Ramona and Her Father  

Ramona the Brave is a children's novel written by Beverly Cleary. It is the third book in the Ramona series, and follows Ramona Quimby and her classmates (some of them were in her kindergarten class for the previous year) going into first grade. Ramona the Brave was first published in 1975, seven years after Ramona the Pest . It was originally illustrated by Alan Tiegreen, [1] succeeding the late Louis Darling.

Contents

Plot summary

Ramona Quimby has spent most of the summer with her friend Howie Kemp, pounding old bricks into dust in a game called Brick Factory. Brick Factory makes Ramona feel powerful, something that doesn't happen very often since she is the youngest in her family. Longing to be brave and grown-up, Ramona sticks up for her older sister, Beatrice "Beezus" Quimby, when some boys tease about her nickname (calling her "Beezus Jesus" or "Jesus Beezus") by claiming they will go to hell for mocking Jesus. However, Ramona is crushed to realize that instead of considering her a hero, Beezus is embarrassed, and becomes angrier at Ramona for defending her than she is at the boys for teasing her.

By the end of summer, Mother gets a part-time job and some workmen cut a hole in their house to add an extra bedroom (especially since Beezus and Ramona would bicker often when they shared a room). Beezus and Ramona are going to take turns using the new room (for half a year), and Ramona gets to be first, though she finds it frightening to go to sleep in the new room alone.

When first grade starts, Ramona begins learning to read. However, she is convinced that her teacher, Mrs. Griggs, dislikes her. This feeling is worsened by Ramona's tendency to get into trouble. One day when her class is making paper-bag owls for Parents' Night, Ramona sees Susan, her kindergarten nemesis, copying Ramona's owl. Mrs. Griggs sees Susan's owl first and shows it off to the class. Ramona is outraged at Susan for copying as now Ramona's owl isn't special, and destroys both owls. The next day, Ramona is forced to apologize to Susan in front of the whole class, but things improve when the class is nice to her afterward.

One day on her way to school a big dog comes after Ramona, so she takes off her shoe and throws it at him. The dog picks up her shoe and carries it away, forcing Ramona to limp her way back to school. That turns out to be the morning Mrs. Griggs finally chooses Ramona to lead the morning flag salute, and Mrs. Griggs discovers that Ramona is only wearing one shoe. Ramona uses her ingenuity to deal with the situation, and when her shoe is returned, the school secretary compliments her bravery, resulting in her nickname "the Brave".

Reception

Kirkus Reviews praised the novel, stating that the writing was "amusing, sound, empathic. . . as always." [2] As of 2014, 97 editions of Ramona the Brave had been published in 6 languages. [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

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Beverly Atlee Cleary was an American writer of children's and young adult fiction. One of America's most successful authors, 91 million copies of her books have been sold worldwide since her first book was published in 1950. Some of her best known characters are Ramona Quimby and Beezus Quimby, Henry Huggins and his dog Ribsy, and Ralph S. Mouse.

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<i>Ramona the Pest</i> 1968 novel by Beverly Cleary

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Ramona and Her Father is the fourth book in Beverly Cleary's popular Ramona Quimby series. In this humorous children's novel, Mr. Quimby loses his job and Ramona thinks up ways to earn money and help her family out. Published in 1977, Ramona and Her Father was a Newbery Honor Book.

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<i>Henry and the Clubhouse</i> Novel by Beverly Cleary

Henry and the Clubhouse, by Beverly Cleary, is the fifth book in Henry Huggins series. Now that he has the paper route he wanted so badly in the previous book, Henry and the Paper Route, Henry finds that it's harder than he expected. His earnings are going for the clubhouse he and his friends are building. One of the boys insists that it be a "Boys Only" club, and that causes trouble with Henry's friend Beezus Quimby and her little sister Ramona. Henry and the Clubhouse was published in 1962.

References

  1. "Ramona the Brave". First Edition. Retrieved April 25, 2012.
  2. "Ramona the Brave". Kirkus Reviews. March 1, 1975. Retrieved April 25, 2012.
  3. "Editions". Beverly Cleary. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
Awards
Preceded by
The Ghost of Saturday Night
Mark Twain Award
1978
Succeeded by
Champion of Merrimack County