57. Beezus and Ramona

Beezus and Ramona. Beverly Cleary. 1955. HarperCollins. 208 pages. [Source: Library] [Star rating: 5/5]

First sentence: Beezus felt that the biggest trouble with four-year-old Ramona was that she was just plain exasperating. If Ramona drank lemonade through a straw, she blew into the straw as hard as she could to see what would happen.

Unlike other books in the Ramona series, this one is narrated by Beezus. Like all other books in the Ramona series, it has a just-right feel about it. Beverly Cleary's greatest talent may be in her capturing what it feels like to be a kid.

Beezus, as you probably know, is Ramona's big sister. Ramona does steal the show in almost every book in which she appears. There's something unforgettable about her. But though the focus is on Ramona, this is still very much Beezus' book. It captures how she feels about her family, about Ramona.

"Beezus and Her Little Sister." Ramona LOVES, LOVES, LOVES to have The Littlest Steam Shovel read to her. Her parents are unwilling to read it to her--they have come to have no tolerance for it. But Beezus, well, she'll read it to Ramona, not that she likes it, but, she'll give in now and then. She gets the idea to take Ramona to the library to get a brand new book--for two weeks. Ramona picks a new book, but, it is still about steam shovels. She likes it so much, that she does something NAUGHTY so she can keep it for always. What will Beezus do since it was checked out on her card? Just how sympathetic will the librarian be?

"Beezus and Her Imagination" Beezus is in an art class. Ramona isn't supposed to be in the class with her, she's supposed to be playing outside in the sandbox. But on this occasion, Beezus finds Ramona in class with her. Could she get inspired by her sister's imaginary pet?! Could she earn her teacher's attention?!

"Ramona and Ribsy" Beezus invites Henry Huggins (and his dog, Ribsy) to her house to play checkers. It doesn't go well. Both Ribsy and Ramona have fits of sorts. And Ribsy ends up locked in the bathroom?! Beezus wishes Ramona was more like other people's sisters.

"Ramona and the Apples" Beezus is supposed to be watching Ramona while their mother does the grocery shopping. But. Ramona proves too much to handle. She sneaks into the basement and has her way with all the apples...taking one bite and just one bite from each apple. Will Beezus get in trouble? Can anything good come from all those ruined apples?

"A Party at the Quimbys" Ramona decides to have a party and invite other kids over to the house--without permission of course. What will Beezus and their mother do? This one ends in a parade. Among the guests, Howie and Willa Jean.

"Beezus's Birthday" Will Beezus have a cake for her tenth birthday?! It might not be as easy as you might think. Not with Ramona around. But with a little help from Aunt Beatrice, all might be well after all. Hint: If you have a sister like Ramona, don't read the story of Hansel and Gretel to her when your cake is in the oven!

I love the Ramona series. I do. I love, love, love the Ramona books. I think I read them dozens of more times than the Little House books. (I've recently reread these too.) I'm not sure Beezus and Ramona is my favorite of the series, but, it's a great start to a great series.

 

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

56. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. J.K. Rowling. 1997. 345 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense.

Premise/plot: Harry Potter, our protagonist, is an orphan destined for adventures--and misadventures. Raised by muggles, his aunt and uncle, he is clueless that his parents were involved in magic--witch and warlock. Both attended Hogwarts. Though the Dursleys plan to send Harry to an ordinary school, well, fate (if you will) has other plans. He receives dozens--and dozens and dozens--of invitations to Hogwarts. No matter how much his aunt and uncle want to deny Harry his heritage--his legacy--they are thwarted. (One might sympathize with them if they weren't presented as Roald Dahl style caricatures. After all, if they treated Harry as their own flesh and blood, if they treated him well, if they truly, deeply had his best interests at heart...then one might argue that they are trying to protect Harry.

Much of the book is set at school--Hogwarts--and involves Harry interacting with his closest friends (like Ron and Hermione), his classmates, his professors, his enemies. Harry (and company) get in and out of trouble on multiple occasions. Harry does have a BIG ENEMY (one who is not to be named, perhaps). He does make a brief appearance towards the end of the novel.

My thoughts: I read this series for the first time (ever) in 2023. I did decide I wanted to reread. I definitely enjoyed *more* this time around. There were little details that I may or may not have missed the first time around, but have taken out some meaning now that I've read the whole series. I definitely had greater appreciation for the whole cast of characters. My focus had shifted a bit. While the first time around, I was uncertain on if I even liked it and would continue on with the series, this time around I knew better what to expect and where the story was heading.

Quotes: 

If only the had had mentioned a House for people who felt a bit queasy, that would have been the one for him.

But from that moment on, Hermione Granger became their friend. There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them.

 There were a hundred and fort-two staircases at Hogwarts: wide, sweeping ones; narrow, rickety ones; some that led somewhere different on a Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump. Then there were doors that wouldn't open unless you asked politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place, and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending. It was also very hard to remember where anything was, because it all seemed to move around a lot. The people in the portraits kept going to visit each other, and Harry was sure the coats of armor could walk.

It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that. 

As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all-- the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them.

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

55. The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games #1 Suzanne Collins. 2008. 374 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold.

I have seen the movie more than I've read the book. I *believe* that this is my third time to read the novel. And it appears that the last time I actually read the book was October of 2012! I'm surprised by that. 

This has been 'the year' for me revisiting this series. I've reread The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. I've seen that movie adaptation twice. I've binged my way through the original movie trilogy. I've been intending to actually read the books themselves again. There is another 'prequel' coming next year, I think. 

As I said, I've watched the movie so many times since 2012, it was so refreshing to discover--rediscover--the DEPTH and substance of the book itself. There are so many layers. Especially when you add in what you've learned from the prequel. One thing that may be super-super-super obvious is that Katniss (our heroine) is BROKEN and traumatized from the moment we meet her. She is strong and resilient and a bit hardened. But the death of her father, the failing of her mother to be an adult, a parent, the HARSH realities of the district, these have made the Katniss we know. She's a provider, a survivor. The Games definitely contributed to her PTSD, her trauma-induced mental and emotional distress, but it wasn't only the games. Life in district 12 is hard--difficult. Raising yourself and your sister is difficult. 

I also was detail focused as I was rereading trying to observe things about all the districts and the characters--no matter how small--themselves. Again, so many layers if you've mainly spent time with the movies.

I do plan on reading the other books in this series. Rereading that is. 2012 may feel like a few years ago, but it's over ten.

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

June Reflections

Quality not quantity? Maybe. Mostly. I read twenty-four books in June.

Books reviewed at Becky's Book Reviews:

50. Maria. Michelle Moran. 2024. 320 pages. [Source: Review copy] 

51. Danny Dunn and the Homework Machine. Jay Williams and Raymond Abrashkin. 1958. 141 pages. [Source: Library]

52, Operation: Happy. Jenni L. Walsh. 2024. 240 pages. [Source: Library] [j historical fiction, mg historical fiction, animal fantasy] 

53. My Lost Freedom: A Japanese American World War II Story. Georege Takei. 2024. 48 pages. [Source: Library] [Nonfiction picture book, World War II]

54. Tree. Table. Book. Lois Lowry. 2024. 208 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Books reviewed at Young Readers

76. Welcome to the Woofmore. Donna Gephart and Lori Haskins Houran. Illustrated by Josh Cleland. 2024. 80 pages. [Source: Library]  

77. They Call Me No Sam! Drew Daywalt. Illustrated by Mike Lowery. 2024. 224 pages. [Source: Library] 

78. Meatballs for Grandpa. Jeanette Fazzari Jones. Illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett. 2024. 40 pages. [Source: Library] 

79. The Boy Who Said Wow by Todd Boss. Illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh. 2024. [April] 40 pages. [Source: Library] 

80. Board book: Tiny Bear Can, Too. Yusuke Yonezu. 2024. 16 pages. [Source: Library] 

81. A Fox, a Pig, and a Dig. Jonathan Fenske. 2024. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

82. The Squish. Breanna Carzoo. 2024. 40 pages. [Source: Library] 

83. How to Love a Kitten. Michelle Meadows. 2024. 48 pages. [Source: Library] 

84. Dalmartian: A Mars Rover's Story by Lucy Ruth Cummins. 2024. 48 pages. [Source: Library] 

85. Waiting in the Wings. Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton. Illustrated by Eg Keller. 2024. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [picture book]

Books reviewed at Operation Actually Read Bible

31. NKJV Spurgeon and the Psalms, Maclaren Series, Thomas Nelson. Devotions by Charles Spurgeon. Psalms by God. 2022. 548 pages. [Source: Borrowed]


32. Who are You? A Little Book About Your Big Identity. Christina Fox. Illustrated by Daron Parton. 2024. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy] 

33. (Preaching the Word) Deuteronomy: Loving Obedience to a Loving God. Ajith Fernando. 2012. 768 pages. [Source: Bought]


34. The Hiding Place A Graphic Novel. Corrie ten Boom. With Elizabeth and John Sherrill. Adapted by Mario DeMatteo. Illustrated by Ismael Castro. 2024. 240 pages. [Source: Library]

35. The Justice and Goodness of God. Thomas R. Schreiner. 2024. 160 pages. [Source: Review copy]

36. For a Lifetime (Timeless #3) Gabrielle Meyer. 2024. 400 pages. [Source: Library]

 

Bibles reviewed at Operation Actually Read Bible

12. The One Year Bible for Women. God. 2023. Tyndale. 1136 pages. [Source: Bought]

13. Thomas Nelson, KJV Giant Print, Red Letter, 544B. [Thumb-indexed] God. 1976. 1900 pages [best guess] Source: Bought

14. Berean Standard Bible, Holy Bible, (BSB) God. 2022. 1504 pages. [Source: Bought]

 Yearly and Monthly Totals

Books Read in 2024	190
Pages Read in 2024	51202
January
Books read in January	36
Pages read in January	6875
February
Books read in February	38
Pages read in February	9731
March
Books read in March	39
Pages read in March	6730
April
Books read in April	32
Pages read in April	9367
May
Books read in May	21
Pages read in May	10246
June
Books read in June	24
Pages read in June	8253

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

54. Tree Table. Book.

Tree. Table. Book. Lois Lowry. 2024. 208 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: I am going to tell you three words. I'm choosing them at random. Listen carefully. This will be important. House. Umbrella. Apple. Remember those. I'll explain later.

My thoughts (preview): I kept this one waiting. I have absolutely loved Lois Lowry's work in the past. I have. Yet the title was odd--for me (though trust me, it works). The cover was not one that made me want to drop everything and read it. I wasn't quite sure what this one was about. I thought it would likely be worth reading...at some point. Lowry's books rarely disappoint me. 

In a way, I'm glad I waited to read it. Now I can tell EVERYONE go read this book and it will actually be available at libraries and bookstores. 

Premise/plot: What is this one about? Friendship. Friendship. Friendship. Friendship can be complex, nuanced, wonderful, perplexing. Young Sophie (our heroine) is VERY dear friends with a much older Sophie. The two have a wonderful, sparkling friendship--vibrant and delightful. Yet the older Sophie is beginning to 'show' her age, if you will. No matter how much young Sophie does NOT want to admit it, acknowledge it, accept it, things can't stay the same forever. This Sophie is not Sophie's only friend. There are others in her life that are DIFFERENT yet special. There is only ONE Sophie--irreplaceable. 

My thoughts: I purposefully kept the premise/plot on the VAGUE side. Because the JOY of this one is in the unfolding. The less you know about the specifics of the plot, the more you will enjoy the journey. You should know it is character-driven. This isn't an action-packed novel with twists and turns. Nor is it a thriller. But for readers who LOVE character-driven novels that are ALL heart, ALL soul, written with care and beauty, this one is a must. It breaks you, in a way, but it also mends.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews