Ramona Quimby Age 8

Beverly Cleary’s novels, such as her series focusing on the Quimby family, seek to portray the realistic experiences of children in America. Throughout the Ramona series, the Quimby family experiences many changes and difficulties that put a strain on the entire family. In Ramona Quimby, Age 8, the Quimbys face a financial crisis as Mr. Quimby makes a mid-life career change, and the entire family must work together to make ends meet. Through Ramona’s eyes, the novel highlights the challenges and complexities children face when their family undergoes periods of stress and tension. Cleary portrays the impact of family stress on Ramona’s emotional well-being, relationships, and personal maturation. Though family adversity can sometimes negatively affect children, through Mr. and Mrs. Quimby’s guidance, their daughters learn the importance not only of frugality but of family unity in times of trouble.

When the novel opens, Mr. Quimby’s career is in flux, which contributes to Ramona’s emotional turmoil. She worries about the sacrifices her father is making to provide for the family—“[she was] sorry her father would have to work more hours in the frozen-food warehouse where, no matter how many pairs of woolen socks he wore, his feet were always cold and he sometimes had to go outside until feeling came back into his cheeks” (132).