Ramona the Brave
Encyclopedia
Ramona the Brave is a juvenile
novel
written by Beverly Cleary
and illustrated by Alan Tiegreen. The book was first published in 1975, seven years after Ramona the Pest
, the previous installment of the Ramona series.
. The game involves smashing bricks to smithereens. She gets excited about beginning first grade at Glenwood School and meeting her new teacher, Mrs. Griggs. Ramona is anxious to leave her "pest" days behind her, but of course, things don't always work out the way she wants to.
In one chapter, Mrs. Griggs' class makes paper-bag owls for Parents Night. Ramona sees Susan
, her kindergarten nemesis, copying Ramona's owl. Mrs. Griggs sees Susan's owl, assumes that Susan came up with the idea herself, and gives Susan praise. Ramona destroys her own owl, then Susan's. She is later forced to apologize to Susan in front of the whole class. Later in the book, after a bad day at school and having to show her progress report (saying she needs to learn self-control and to keep her hands to herself), Ramona startles her family by threatening to say a bad word, which she does - "Guts!" But instead of shock, her family laughs at her, further upsetting Ramona.
The final chapter describes how Ramona became "The Brave." Ramona is accosted by a dog on her way to school one morning. She takes off her shoe and throws it at the animal. The dog picks up her shoe and carries it away. Mrs. Griggs discovers that Ramona is only wearing one shoe when she finally chooses her to lead the morning flag salute. Eventually, her shoe is returned and her class is thrilled with how "bravely" she handled the situation.
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
written by Beverly Cleary
Beverly Cleary
Beverly Cleary is an American author. Educated at colleges in California and Washington, she worked as a librarian before writing children's books. Cleary has written more than 30 books for young adults and children. Some of her best-known characters are Henry Huggins, Ribsy, Beatrice Quimby, her...
and illustrated by Alan Tiegreen. The book was first published in 1975, seven years after Ramona the Pest
Ramona the Pest
Ramona the Pest is the first of Beverly Cleary's books to focus on Ramona Quimby as the protagonist. This children's book chronicles the adventures of Ramona's first few months at kindergarten...
, the previous installment of the Ramona series.
Plot summary
As the story begins, Ramona is coming off a summer after kindergarten, a summer that was spent playing a muddy game of Brick Factory with her friend Howie KempHowie Kemp
Howie Kemp is a fictional character in the Ramona series of novels by Beverly Cleary.-Fictional character personality:Howard "Howie" Kemp is the curly-haired boy who lives next door to Ramona. They are friends but sometimes they don't like each other. Howie is the polar opposite of Ramona. ...
. The game involves smashing bricks to smithereens. She gets excited about beginning first grade at Glenwood School and meeting her new teacher, Mrs. Griggs. Ramona is anxious to leave her "pest" days behind her, but of course, things don't always work out the way she wants to.
In one chapter, Mrs. Griggs' class makes paper-bag owls for Parents Night. Ramona sees Susan
Susan Kushner
Susan Kushner is a fictional character in the Ramona series of novels by Beverly Cleary.-Fictional character biography:Susan Kushner is a little girl with long blonde ringlets. Ramona first meets Susan in preschool, in Beezus and Ramona, and when Ramona starts kindergarten and when she first pulls...
, her kindergarten nemesis, copying Ramona's owl. Mrs. Griggs sees Susan's owl, assumes that Susan came up with the idea herself, and gives Susan praise. Ramona destroys her own owl, then Susan's. She is later forced to apologize to Susan in front of the whole class. Later in the book, after a bad day at school and having to show her progress report (saying she needs to learn self-control and to keep her hands to herself), Ramona startles her family by threatening to say a bad word, which she does - "Guts!" But instead of shock, her family laughs at her, further upsetting Ramona.
The final chapter describes how Ramona became "The Brave." Ramona is accosted by a dog on her way to school one morning. She takes off her shoe and throws it at the animal. The dog picks up her shoe and carries it away. Mrs. Griggs discovers that Ramona is only wearing one shoe when she finally chooses her to lead the morning flag salute. Eventually, her shoe is returned and her class is thrilled with how "bravely" she handled the situation.