Book Review: Mitch and Amy by Beverly Cleary

Mitch and Amy by Beverly Cleary, illustrated by Tracy Dockray, Harper Collins Publishers, New York, 1967.

I love this book.  The characters in Beverly Clery books are very interesting.  This book is no exception..  In this book, Mitch and Amy are twins.  As twins will, they do not see everything the same.  In fact, they often butt heads.  Amy struggles with math, and Mitch with reading.  At the same time, a local bully, Alan torments them both.  Bernadette, is new in town, and she has a crush on Mitch.  These characters make for some interesting reading as they struggle with school, bullies and getting along. 

Book Review: Otis Spofford by Beverly Cleary

Otis Spofford by Beverly Cleary, Avon Books, New York, original 1963.
I really enjoyed this Beverly Cleary.  She really has a sense of humor, and is family with the human psyche, how we sometimes do things we really don't want to do, because we are egged on, or our pride gets in the way.  Otis is a boy who liked to stir up excitement.  Sometimes this lead to his getting into trouble.  However he was also a dramatic boy.  Otis is half of the bull in the school dance, which is to be slain by the toreador.  It is funny how the teacher tells him he doesn't need to raise his legs when he is dead.  Of course the day of the show, it takes a turn and the bull ends up winning.  Otis would have gotten, but too many parents like the way it turned out.  Otis most often gets into trouble with a girl he must have a crush on, because he really likes to tease her.  However one day he does too far, and the whole class is mad at him.

Book Review: Ramona Forever by Beverly Cleary

Ramona Forever by Beverly Cleary, illustrated by Alan Tiegreen, Avon Books, New York, 1984.

Ramona is a very interesting character.  She is Beezus’ little sister, and seems to get in trouble.  Well she really blows it when she gets her baby sitter upset.  The babysitter’s rich brother (from working in the oil fields) comes home, and Ramona doesn’t like him because he teases her.  Ramona also thinks the babysitter doesn’t care for her.  She refuses to return, and the solution is for Beezus and Ramona to watch themselves. 

But things don’t end there.  Ramona’s aunt has a new boyfriend, and things get all turned upside down when the boyfriend becomes the fiancé and is the Uncle Ramona doesn’t like.  On top of this Ramona’s mother is pregnant.  This story has a build up to what has the making of a terrible wedding day.  I like these characters, and even though this book was written a few years ago. 

Book Review: Henry and the Clubhouse by: Beverly Cleary

This book may better have been called "Henry and the Clubhouse," but then that was the title of the previous book.  This is the fifth of the Henry books.  Henry and his friends are making a clubhouse, for boys only.  This doesn't sit well with Henry's friend Beezus and her little sister Ramona.  Ramona's retaliation puts Henry's newspaper route at risk.  Plus she is always following him, pretending she is a newspaper man.  One day she follows him, and gets caught in a storm.  The only thing Henry can do is volunteer to take her home, making him late with his deliveries.  However in this case, one of his customers tells on him, and that is a good thing.  She writes of Henry's heroics in a letter-to-the-editor.  Even Henry's dad is impressed.

Book Review: Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary

Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary, illustrated by Louise Darling, Morrow Junior Books, New York, 1955.

This is the first in the Ramona series, but we have already been introduced to the characters in the Henry books.  This is a good book about relationships, specifically sister relationships.  In this case there is a difference in age.  Beezus turns ten in the book, and Ramona is four.  She is in preschool.  Ramona is very head strong, and she is often “naughty.”  She insists on one book being read to her over and over, she sometimes inserts herself in conversation, and she often does things to make messes, or to get her way.  She arranges a party on her own.  She puts a doll in the over in imitation of Hansel and Gretel.  Beezus finds that there are many times she does not love her sister.  She finally comes to terms with this on her birthday when her mother and aunt talk about their relationship growing up.  This is very good in the Beverly Cleary fashion.

Book Review: Henry Huggins, Beverly Cleary

Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary illustrated by Louis Darling, Morrow Junior Books, New York, 1950.

This book is where the writing career of Beverly Cleary started.  As a library the kids asked, why are there not books about people like us.  This sparked a collection of books about normal people.  We are introduced to all the characters of the neighborhood, but the story focusing mostly on Henry and his dog.  Cleary has a skill of creating interesting characters of her children.  Henry’s life was sort of average; until he found a dog.  He names the dog Ribsy because he was too thin and his ribs were showing.  There are many adventures, including how to get a dog home when you can’t take it on the bus, how Ribsy wins a special prize at the dog show, and who is the rightful owner to the dog.  I don’t remember reading this book, but I remember a story about a dog and ownership being determined by whether he goes to one boy or the other.  So it is likely I ready or had read to me this story at some point, but I don’t remember it at all so it was new to me.

Book Review: ***^Henry and Beezus by: Beverly Cleary

Henry and Beezus

This is an interesting tale about the relationship between Henry and his neighbor, Beezus (short for Beatrice); but more about Henry’s struggle to get a bike.  His parents cannot afford to buy him a new bike, so he is determined to earn money to buy one for himself.  However money earning takes forever and is slow, and bikes are expensive.  Ramona, Beezus’ is in this book as well.  She has quite the imagination, but is also a bit spoiled which can affect those around her.  A neighbor boy, more of a rival than a friend, Scooter, has a new bike and he brags about and makes a big deal.  Henry, who is still on foot responds by telling Scooter he will get his own bike.  Now he is set up to having to prove himself.

I like the character Cleary has developed.  They seem real.  Her goal in writing was to show real people.

Book Review: Ramona the Pest, Beverly Cleary

Beverly Cleary Ramona the Pest

I have never read any Ramona books before, and was surprised when she was only a kindergartner.  However, even so, the confusions of a kindergartner, and thoughts prove quite interesting.   In the end, Ramona backs herself into a corner and it is hard to tell how Ramona is going to get herself out.  Sometimes our thoughts can get the better of us, and thinking your teacher does not like you is a big thing. 

I always thought Cleary was a contemporary author, but these books were written in the 50s.  Who would have thunk.