Ramona Forever
First edition
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| Author | Beverly Cleary |
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| Illustrator | Alan Tiegreen |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Ramona |
| Genre | Children's novel |
| Publisher | William Morrow |
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Publication date
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1984 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback and Paperback) |
| Preceded by | Ramona Quimby, Age 8 -1981 |
| Followed by | Ramona's World -1999 |
Ramona Forever is a humorous children's novel written by Beverly Cleary. The seventh book in the Ramona Quimby series, it continues the story of Ramona, her older sister, Beezus, and their family. They are finally old enough to stay home together, and they work hard to get along. Mrs. Quimby is pregnant and Aunt Bea gets engaged in a book that sees Ramona coping with growing up. It was originally published in 1984.
Ramona is growing up. The book takes place some months after the events of Ramona Quimby, Age 8. She and Beezus manage to convince their parents to let them stay home alone together after school for one week to see how it goes. One day, they get into a fight about Beezus' newly found skin problems. The next day, they find their cat, Picky Picky, dead in the basement. They forgive each other and handle his funeral and burial themselves, and their parents decide they are responsible enough to take care of themselves. Ramona is especially happy not to have to go to the Kemps' house after school any more because she no longer has to deal with Howie's bratty younger sister, Willa Jean, his nagging grandmother who Ramona feels singles her out and makes her watch Willa Jean so she can watch her favorite soap opera on TV, or their house which according to Beezus "smells like old soup." She also isn't too fond of Howie's rich Uncle Hobart who has arrived from Saudi Arabia. He's the kind of man who thinks it's funny to tease kids and Ramona doesn't like him.
There are more changes coming for the Quimbys. Mr. Quimby is almost finished with college and everyone hopes he'll get a teaching job in the area. It's especially important because Mrs. Quimby is pregnant with their third child, and she plans on staying home to take care of it. Beezus thinks it will be wonderful to have a baby around to take care of, but Ramona realizes she won't be the youngest any more. She's not sure how she feels about being the middle child.
Before she gets a chance to find out, something else changes: Aunt Bea and Uncle Hobart get engaged. Beezus and Ramona are to be maids of honor in their wedding. They only have two weeks to plan it, though, and by the time the day arrives everyone in the neighborhood has become involved. By the time baby Roberta arrives, Ramona realizes, along with her family, that "She was winning at growing up."
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