Heidi

The Ramona Quimby Series was one of my favorites growing up. As a kid, I identified and empathized so strongly with poor, neglected Ramona who no one gave any attention to/the time of day to. I honestly don't know that I have ever read the whole series. I certainly don't recall reading this first book.

In reading this book as an adult, I cannot help but empathize with Beatrice. She just wants peace and quiet, and she has a rambunctious, imaginative, loud, four year old sister! 

This was the first Ramona Quimby book I remember reading. I definitely have fond memories for Ramona learning “present” didn't necessarily mean gift, Beezus teasing Ramona about the “dawn's early light” from the Star Spangled Banner, and Ramona “quitting” school. I remember empathizing with Ramona's annoyance over how slow Howie and grown ups were (I often felt so much the same as a kid!). 

As an adult reading this in the 2020s, it's painfully obvious Ramona has ADHD - can't focus on her own work, isn't able to relate well to her peers, can't sit still, very imaginative, incredibly impulsive. I also completely get why her peers do not like her (though I did not pick up that nuance as a kid when I read this book).

Let me start out by saying: This book is a mixed bag.

The Introduction for this book was written with a very “self-help” tone and self-help word choices. Choosing to be inclusive is to make the choice to accept “this isn't about me.”  Choosing to be inclusive is its own challenge that not everyone is ready to face (but at the same time, they are not ready to face “not being inclusive or trying to remain neutral to inclusivity is its own choice”).

The book only truly starts to feel genuine and authentic around chapter three. It's a good starting point for anyone who is in the very start of their inclusivity/diversity journey (the angry/defensive stage).

I wish I was mentoring someone younger at work. I would absolutely recommend this book to her.

The first two heart stopper volumes are predominantly fluffy-romantic. Things start to get a little more serious in this volume as Nick starts to notice Charlie's disordered eating.