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Quick answer: If you loved Ramona the Pest, try Beezus and Ramona, Ramona and Her Father, Ramona Quimby, Age 8, Henry Huggins, Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus and Clementine. Each one is a funny, honest story about everyday kid life, family and school.
Beverly Cleary's Ramona Quimby books follow a spirited, imaginative girl growing up on Klickitat Street in Portland, Oregon. In Ramona the Pest she starts kindergarten and can't stop pulling Susan's curls, and later books follow her through money worries at home, sibling squabbles with Beezus and big feelings at school. Readers love her honesty and humor. These books share its everyday adventures and its warm families.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Age | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beezus and Ramona | Beverly Cleary | 7-10 | readers who want the first Ramona book |
| Ramona and Her Father | Beverly Cleary | 7-10 | readers who like family stories |
| Ramona Quimby, Age 8 | Beverly Cleary | 7-10 | readers who want a Newbery Honor book |
| Henry Huggins | Beverly Cleary | 7-10 | readers who want more Klickitat Street |
| Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus | Barbara Park | 5-8 | younger readers |
| Clementine | Sara Pennypacker | 7-10 | readers who like spirited girls |
| Ivy and Bean | Annie Barrows | 6-9 | readers who like unlikely friends |
| Judy Moody | Megan McDonald | 6-9 | readers who like moody heroines |
| Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing | Judy Blume | 8-11 | readers who like sibling troubles |
| Stella Díaz Has Something to Say | Angela Dominguez | 7-10 | readers who like shy heroines |
| Sofia Martinez | Jacqueline Jules | 5-8 | younger readers |
| Anna Hibiscus | Atinuke | 5-9 | readers who like families around the world |
| The Year of Billy Miller | Kevin Henkes | 7-10 | readers who like gentle school years |
| Mercy Watson to the Rescue | Kate DiCamillo | 5-8 | readers who want funny early chapters |
| Amber Brown Is Not a Crayon | Paula Danziger | 7-10 | readers who like friendship stories |
1. Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary
Beezus struggles with her pesky little sister.
Best for: readers who want the first Ramona book.
2. Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary
Ramona helps when her father loses his job.
Best for: readers who like family stories.
3. Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary
Ramona starts third grade.
Best for: readers who want a Newbery Honor book.
4. Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary
A boy adopts a stray dog named Ribsy.
Best for: readers who want more Klickitat Street.
5. Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus by Barbara Park
A kindergartner refuses to ride the bus home.
Best for: younger readers.
6. Clementine by Sara Pennypacker
A third grader with big ideas gets into trouble.
Best for: readers who like spirited girls.
7. Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows
Two very different girls become best friends.
Best for: readers who like unlikely friends.
8. Judy Moody by Megan McDonald
A girl with big moods tries to have a great year.
Best for: readers who like moody heroines.
9. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
Peter's little brother Fudge causes chaos.
Best for: readers who like sibling troubles.
10. Stella Díaz Has Something to Say by Angela Dominguez
A shy Mexican American girl finds her voice.
Best for: readers who like shy heroines.
11. Sofia Martinez by Jacqueline Jules
A girl in a big family has everyday adventures.
Best for: younger readers.
12. Anna Hibiscus by Atinuke
A girl lives with her big family in Africa.
Best for: readers who like families around the world.
13. The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes
A boy navigates second grade.
Best for: readers who like gentle school years.
14. Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate DiCamillo
A pig who loves buttered toast saves the day.
Best for: readers who want funny early chapters.
15. Amber Brown Is Not a Crayon by Paula Danziger
A girl's best friend is moving away.
Best for: readers who like friendship stories.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Ramona: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to Ramona. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most. If a pick is part of a longer series, read the first book before you commit, and check the age or content notes in the table before passing a book to a younger reader.
How to Choose
Read the Ramona books in order starting with Beezus and Ramona, then try Henry Huggins for more of Klickitat Street. For modern girls with big personalities, Clementine, Judy Moody and Ivy and Bean are perfect. Younger kids will love Junie B. Jones and Mercy Watson. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing is a classic sibling comedy.
Related: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume: Summary and Key Takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Ramona books about?
Ramona Quimby, a spirited girl, grows up with her family and friends in Portland, Oregon.
What order should I read the Ramona books?
Beezus and Ramona, Ramona the Pest, Ramona the Brave, Ramona and Her Father, Ramona and Her Mother, Ramona Quimby Age 8, Ramona Forever and Ramona's World.
What age are the Ramona books for?
They suit readers about 6 to 10 and are great read-alouds.
Did Ramona win awards?
Ramona Quimby, Age 8 and Ramona and Her Father were Newbery Honor books.
Who is Beezus?
Ramona's older sister, Beatrice.
Is there a movie?
Yes. Ramona and Beezus came out in 2010.
Who wrote the Ramona books?
Beverly Cleary.