35 pages 1 hour read

Beverly Cleary

Ramona the Pest

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1968

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Essay Topics

1.

Ramona the Pest is set in a generic suburb, in a time period that is unnamed. What effect does this have on Ramona’s story?

2.

Throughout the book, there are instances of misunderstandings between Ramona and the other characters. For example, in Chapter 1, when Ramona thinks that Miss Binney is going to give her a gift, when really Miss Binney is referring to “the present,” as in the current moment in time. What does this type of misunderstanding say about Ramona and about children’s psychology in general?

3.

One of the worst things to Ramona is being a “baby.” Pick 3 moments in the book when being “baby-ish” appears. How do each of these moments relate to larger themes in the book about growing up?