Ramona Forever
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| Ramona Forever | |
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| Author | Beverly Cleary |
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| Cover artist | Tracy Dockray |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Ramona Quimby |
| Genre(s) | Novel |
| Publisher | HarperCollins |
| Publication date | 1984 |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-380-70960-0 ISBN 978-0-380-70960-1 |
| Preceded by | Ramona Quimby, Age 8 |
| Followed by | Ramona's World |
Ramona Forever is a juvenile fiction novel written by Beverly Cleary. It was first published in 1984 and was illustrated by Alan Tiegreen. The current edition was illustrated by Tracy Dockray. It is part of the popular Ramona Quimby series. Ramona Forever was the last book in the series before a fifteen-year hiatus. Ramona's World, the most recent installment of the Ramona series, was published in 1999.
[edit] Plot
Ramona is progressing along as a third grader when her friend and neighbor Howie Kemp announces that his rich uncle Hobart is coming for a visit. Ramona is disappointed when he does arrive, not in a limo, but in a beat-up van and wearing a scraggly beard and jeans. On top of that, Uncle Hobart embarrasses Ramona in front of everybody, and Howie's grandmother blames Ramona when Willa Jean, Howie's little sister, sits on Hobart's accordion and breaks it.
Ramona is able to persuade her parents to allow her and her older sister Beezus to stay home alone after school. It doesn't go well. The two get into an argument and then don't speak to each other for a period of time. They make amends when they are forced to bury their beloved cat, Picky-picky, who dies of old age.
There are also big changes in the Quimby household. Ramona's father had been working toward getting his teaching certificate, but had been having a hard time finding a job. He returns to work at the supermarket where he used to work as a cashier, this time as the manager. There is also a wedding - Ramona and Beezus' dear Aunt Beatrice marries none other than Howie's Uncle Hobart and moves to Alaska for a teaching job!
On top of everything else, Ramona's mother is pregnant again, and the baby comes in the final chapter - little Roberta. But when Ramona, Beezus, and their father go to the hospital to see the new arrival, Ramona is turned away because she is too young to visit the maternity ward. Sitting in the front lobby by herself, she starts to itch, which only went away when her father came down after the visit and kissed her.
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