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Beverly Cleary books
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Any opinions on her books from a CM point of view? A friend is trying to pass on a bunch. I can’t remember much about them. I think I read some as a child. I don’t think they seem the same quality as most of what my kids (9, 6, 4, 1.5) typically read/listen to…anyone familiar?
Not sure if I’ll be much help, but we love Ramona Quimby, Henry Huggins, and Ralph S. Mouse here! I initially read them to my son, and now he is re-reading them on his own. (He actually prefers the Ramona and Ralph books to Henry). Use them for assigned reading or free reading rather than a literature selection.
We used them as free reading or occasionally a family read-aloud at lunch (not for literature, just for fun) when my kids were younger. As leisure reading, I believe they are good quality. The Ramona Quimby series and Henry Huggins series offer some good old-fashioned family values, both parents are featured throughout the stories, responsibility and chores are woven into them, and the kids are just kids.
To me, Cleary’s children’s books are kind of like the Beverly Lewis books about the Amish people are to me. Sometimes, I just want a light read that is well-written and clean, just something about ordinary people.
I read all those when I was a child, but I thought I remembered a lot of name-calling, disrespect to teachers/parents? Maybe I’m not remembering them correctly, that’s why I hadn’t even picked them up at the library.
Hmm…I would definitely love to hear a reply on that regarding disrespect and name-calling. But assuming those are not issues, I was wondering if the Ramona and Henry series would be good as chapter books for a young boy? Looking for more options for him. Thanks!
Mysterious, since you are asking specifically on the point of disrespect and name calling…
My oldest boys (now 11 and 12 — read the books when they were about 7-9) came to me a few months ago regarding the Cleary books. I had been ready to sign them out of the library for my younger set when my oldest boys saw the books in my hand and rather insisted that I put them back. Suddenly I was knee deep in details from my oldest boys about how the books were full of nasty attitudes, disrespect, lying or otherwise hiding things from parents, teasing, constant complaining about siblings, and overall just a lack of sibling closeness amongst the characters. Sheesh! I was shocked. I had read the books as a child and didn’t really recall the details. My boys never mentioned it during the times they were reading them (2 years ago), but I guess the heavy themes of teasing, lying, and talking back really made an impact on my kids….to the point that they didn’t even want their younger siblings reading them! Even though the “bad behavior” and the kids in the books who did “wrong” get caught or otherwise corrected in the end, for my boys this still didn’t make the books worth reading. They said these things most particularly about the Ramona series, but also somewhat about the Henry series. Much less so about the Ralph Mouse collection. Not sure about the one-offs or the newer titles.Aww man, that’s a bummer. But thank you for the heads up on that. <sigih> He definitely does not need those examples right now…will keep looking.
Angelina, Thanks so much for the info. Thank your boys for speaking their conscience so others can benefit. I wish I could pre-read all, but I’m finding now that there simply isn’t time (my 9 y/o recently discovered the Martha/Charlotte/Caroline/Rose Years books, Laura Ingall’s family members…she’s read over 20 in the last couple weeks…simply devouring them. I would have no chance of keeping up!). Anyway, there are so many wonderful books, there is no use reading ones that are not quality and edifying. By the way, from what I’ve seen the above series all seem good. My daughter has been enjoying them.
I’m so glad you said this, Angelina. I remember not liking Ramona at all as a kid and yet I constantly see the book on ‘best of’ lists. I finally decided I had to just start reading Cleary to show myself my younger opinion was off. We read Henry and it was fine, nothing special in my mind. I hadn’t tried Ramona yet and I think I’ll not now. (I do like Pippi which I know some folks don’t, I think bc I can understand her thinking and she is never mean.) So what about Ralph Mouse? That’s another one that I see enough on lists to feel like my boys (8 and 9) may really like it. (My older kids made it to teenager-hood without any Cleary.)
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