Beezus & Ramona, Ramona & Beezus
July 25, 2010 by jhynes
What’s not to like about young Ramona Quimby and her older sister Beezus? The antics of a young girl and the tolerance (and intolerance) of the older sibling collide every day, hilariously. Getting along in the same household with someone like Ramona seems impossible, but she’s charming and always has a reason behind her creativity. And Beezus is the better sister for it.
Beverly Cleary wrote so many wonderful series for children, Ramona included. Cleary’s books about Ramona were born in the ’50s, but still have relevance today. The children in her book may not be playing video games or texting their friends, but they are playing, and they are still learning how to grow up and face the woes of the world.
I clearly remember my 3rd grade teacher reading “Ramona Quimby: Age 8″ aloud to us in class. Perfect story for the perfect age. By the way, the boys were just as interested in the book and our teacher was good about reading a Henry Huggins book to balance the gender for story time. Cleary is the one author I knew by name as a child.
“Ramona & Beezus” came out in theaters July 23 with tepid reviews. What’s wrong with movie makers? Why can’t they take a book written in the ’50s and still read by millions today and make a decent film about growing up? Ugh! I’ll probably watch it at some point,because it is hard to find a “family” movie when you have children younger than 8. I’ll wait until the film comes out on DVD and I’ll wait until I’ve read at least a few books to my children. Just so you know, the movie is based on a number of books in the series, not just one.
On a positive note, the movie has breathed new life into the “Ramona” series. Checking the Pikes Peak Library’s website Sunday night, I found only 5 copies of “Ramona” books among all the branches (two more books are out there if you count “Henry & Beezus”). Many of the books have a very long wait list. It’s good to see young readers get excited about a book, even if it is because of a movie.
Don’t wait on the library. Cleary books are worth owning. You can read it to your child and he or she can pass them onto their children. What a gift!
The Rockrimmon Branch of the Pikes Peak Library District is doing a “Read It Before You See It” book discussion with activities, popcorn, and a drawing for a free movie ticket. It’s July 28 from 4-5 p.m. You must sign up in advance by calling 719-593-8000 or online.
Forget the movie. Read the series. Out loud. To a child.
