Ramona and Her Father
Encyclopedia
Ramona and Her Father is a 1977 juvenile
novel
written by Beverly Cleary
. It is part of Cleary's Ramona Quimby series. The first edition of the book was illustrated by Alan Tiegreen. The current edition was illustrated by Tracy Dockray
.
comes home and announces he has lost his job. The Quimbys must now cope with the breadwinner searching for another job - filling out job applications and collecting unemployment insurance. Until then, Mrs. Quimby
, who has been working part time at a hospital, secures full time work (for another doctor she has been working for in the past) to keep the family going, in essence becoming the breadwinner herself, but things are still very tight for the family. It is especially difficult to find a job because Ramona's father never went to college. Mr. Quimby
goes into a depression
and Mrs. Quimby informs her children that they must not do anything that would further upset their dad. Ramona is discontented and worried. Like many children her age, all she wants is to have a happy family.
Many of the chapters in the book are of Ramona trying to keep things together and getting into all sorts of hilarious scrapes. The Quimbys try to have a Halloween, only to have their cat Picky-picky
eat the jack o'lantern. Other subplots deal with the family's temperamental car, Beezus and her hangups about creative writing, and Ramona's crafty attempts to get her father to kick his smoking habit (Ramona is worried his lungs are going to turn black).
In another chapter of the book, Ramona watches TV and has the idea that if she became one of the kids on television commercials, she could earn a million dollars and help pull her family out of their financial woes. She begins to imitate the children on television in hopes that someone important will notice her and put her on television. As usual, her attempts end up getting her into a big mess as she makes a tiara
out of burrs
on the playground and gets them stuck in her hair. She also unintentionally offends her teacher by telling her "her pantyhose
bunch around her ankles like an elephant's skin." When Ramona goes home for the day, she expresses her worries of not having a happy family, her dad
reassures her the Quimbys will always be together and strong, no matter what happens.
The final chapter finds Mr. Quimby finally getting a job as a supermarket cashier, and of Beezus and Ramona participating in their church's annual Christmas pageant with Beezus's friend Henry Huggins
. Beezus is to be the Virgin Mary and Ramona has the idea for her and her friends Howie Kemp
and Davy
to be sheep in the pageant, but Ramona's costume is made of a pair of old pajamas because her mother had little time to sew (mainly due to her full time work schedule). After having her mother agree to make her costume, Ramona becomes angry with her father after overhearing her father say to her mother (referring to Ramona) "we dont want a spoiled brat on our hands." Nevertheless, the sheep steal the show.
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
written by Beverly Cleary
Beverly Cleary
Beverly Cleary is an American author. Educated at colleges in California and Washington, she worked as a librarian before writing children's books. Cleary has written more than 30 books for young adults and children. Some of her best-known characters are Henry Huggins, Ribsy, Beatrice Quimby, her...
. It is part of Cleary's Ramona Quimby series. The first edition of the book was illustrated by Alan Tiegreen. The current edition was illustrated by Tracy Dockray
Tracy Dockray
Tracy Dockray is a US artist. She illustrated the current Harper Collins editions of Beverly Cleary's children's novels.-Bibliography:* Beezus and Ramona* Ramona the Pest* Ramona the Brave* Ramona and Her Father* Ramona and Her Mother...
.
Plot summary
Ramona is well into her second grade year at Glenwood School, and all is going well until one day her fatherMr. Robert Quimby
Mr. Robert Quimby is the father of Beezus, Ramona, and Roberta Quimby from the Ramona series of children's books by Beverly Cleary.-Fictional character personality:...
comes home and announces he has lost his job. The Quimbys must now cope with the breadwinner searching for another job - filling out job applications and collecting unemployment insurance. Until then, Mrs. Quimby
Mrs. Dorothy Quimby
Mrs. Dorothy Quimby is fictional character created by author Beverly Cleary. Dorothy is the mother to Beezus, Ramona, and Roberta Quimby.-Character:...
, who has been working part time at a hospital, secures full time work (for another doctor she has been working for in the past) to keep the family going, in essence becoming the breadwinner herself, but things are still very tight for the family. It is especially difficult to find a job because Ramona's father never went to college. Mr. Quimby
Mr. Robert Quimby
Mr. Robert Quimby is the father of Beezus, Ramona, and Roberta Quimby from the Ramona series of children's books by Beverly Cleary.-Fictional character personality:...
goes into a depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
and Mrs. Quimby informs her children that they must not do anything that would further upset their dad. Ramona is discontented and worried. Like many children her age, all she wants is to have a happy family.
Many of the chapters in the book are of Ramona trying to keep things together and getting into all sorts of hilarious scrapes. The Quimbys try to have a Halloween, only to have their cat Picky-picky
Picky-picky
Picky-picky is a fictional cat in the Ramona series of books by Beverly Cleary.Picky-picky is the Quimbys' old grumpy cat. His name comes from his finicky attitude towards his cat food. He is affectionate towards Beezus but is wary of Ramona because she is so loud. Picky-picky is so picky about...
eat the jack o'lantern. Other subplots deal with the family's temperamental car, Beezus and her hangups about creative writing, and Ramona's crafty attempts to get her father to kick his smoking habit (Ramona is worried his lungs are going to turn black).
In another chapter of the book, Ramona watches TV and has the idea that if she became one of the kids on television commercials, she could earn a million dollars and help pull her family out of their financial woes. She begins to imitate the children on television in hopes that someone important will notice her and put her on television. As usual, her attempts end up getting her into a big mess as she makes a tiara
Tiara
A tiara is a form of crown. There are two possible types of crown that this word can refer to.Traditionally, the word "tiara" refers to a high crown, often with the shape of a cylinder narrowed at its top, made of fabric or leather, and richly ornamented. It was used by the kings and emperors of...
out of burrs
Burr (fruit)
A bur is a seed or dry fruit in which the seeds bear hooks or teeth which attach themselves to fur or clothing of passing animals or people. The hooks or teeth can be irritants and very hard to get off of clothing, such as wool or cotton...
on the playground and gets them stuck in her hair. She also unintentionally offends her teacher by telling her "her pantyhose
Pantyhose
Pantyhose are sheer, close-fitting legwear, covering the wearer's body from the waist to the feet. Mostly considered to be a woman's and girl's garment, pantyhose appeared in the 1960s, and they provided a convenient alternative to stockings...
bunch around her ankles like an elephant's skin." When Ramona goes home for the day, she expresses her worries of not having a happy family, her dad
Mr. Robert Quimby
Mr. Robert Quimby is the father of Beezus, Ramona, and Roberta Quimby from the Ramona series of children's books by Beverly Cleary.-Fictional character personality:...
reassures her the Quimbys will always be together and strong, no matter what happens.
The final chapter finds Mr. Quimby finally getting a job as a supermarket cashier, and of Beezus and Ramona participating in their church's annual Christmas pageant with Beezus's friend Henry Huggins
Henry Huggins
Henry Huggins ' is a character appearing in a series of children's literature novels by Beverly Cleary, illustrated by Louis Darling, and first appearing in Henry Huggins. Henry is a young boy living on Klickitat Street in Portland, Oregon. The novels take place in the 1950s, which is when Cleary...
. Beezus is to be the Virgin Mary and Ramona has the idea for her and her friends Howie Kemp
Howie Kemp
Howie Kemp is a fictional character in the Ramona series of novels by Beverly Cleary.-Fictional character personality:Howard "Howie" Kemp is the curly-haired boy who lives next door to Ramona. They are friends but sometimes they don't like each other. Howie is the polar opposite of Ramona. ...
and Davy
Davy (Ramona series)
Davy is character from the Ramona series of books by Beverly Cleary.-Fictional character biography:Davy is a skinny shy boy. His parents are divorced, and he lives with his mother. Ramona first meets Davy in kindergarten, in the book Ramona the Pest, in which he is the only boy in the class to wear...
to be sheep in the pageant, but Ramona's costume is made of a pair of old pajamas because her mother had little time to sew (mainly due to her full time work schedule). After having her mother agree to make her costume, Ramona becomes angry with her father after overhearing her father say to her mother (referring to Ramona) "we dont want a spoiled brat on our hands." Nevertheless, the sheep steal the show.
Awards & nominations
- Land of Enchantment Book Award (New MexicoNew MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
) - Texas Bluebonnet Award
- Nene Award (HawaiiHawaiiHawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
) - Newbery Honor Book
- Beehive Award (UtahUtahUtah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
) - IRA/CBC Children's Choice