35 pages 1 hour read

Beverly Cleary

Ramona the Pest

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1968

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Character Analysis

Ramona Quimby

Ramona Quimby is a little girl around kindergarten age, who is known for being “a pest” (1). Though unintentional, Ramona seems to always be getting herself into trouble. Ramona does not enjoy or want to be a pest, but she does desire to be seen and heard—this sometimes causes her to be a “pest,” to gain attention. She has a wild imagination, she can be stubborn, and she does not always do typical “girly” things. Ramona marches to the beat of her own drum (she draws her Q’s in a unique way, she has a doll named Chevrolet)—she is an individual. She is often the center of attention during class. She is a natural leader.

 

Ramona lives with her mother, father, and her older sister Beezus. Ramona loves her kindergarten teacher Miss Binney, and desperately wants her approval, love, and adoration. She also has a crush on Davy, one of her classmates, and she is obsessed with “boing”-ing the curls of her other classmate Susan. Ramona is excited to grow up, and she considers it is a huge insult to be seen as a “baby” (25).