Customer Reviews

Ramona the Brave and Ramona Quimby, Age 8

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I just want to make sure everyone understands that this low rating is for the audio book version only. The printed books are great, however I can not recommend this audio book.
Compared to audio books like Junie B Jones, I wasn't impressed with the reader of this book and so wasn't my 7-year old. She asked me to please download Junie back on her Ipod because she couldn't understand this book. When I went to listen to it to see what she was talking about I got the point in exactly 2 minutes of listening. The reader is very hard to understand as she speeds through the story way too fast. Also I feel as if she is just reading the story without making it interesting to listen to. The reader of the Junie books is funny, makes funny sounds and changes her voice according to what is being read and what the story requires at that particular moment. It is read in an engaging way and my daughter can't get enough of listening to it. The reader of this particular book is very boring and hard to listen to (and speaks so fast it's even hard to understand it most of the time). A young child will have a hard time listening to this and understanding the story. I would recommend the Junie audio books instead.

Is there *anyone* on the planet who doesn't like Beverly Cleary's books and the wonderful characters she created?

Beezus and Ramona (along with Henry Huggins and the rest of the gang on Klikitak Street) were part of my childhood. 40 years later, they were just as appealing to my own son. And don't tell anyone -- although we bought these audiobooks when he was about 8, at 12 he still likes to put these on ocassionally and listen. Why? In large part because of Stockard Channing's masterful performance here. Her rendition of Ramona is EXACTLY how we imagine this impish little creature would talk.

I highly recommend these books, both because of the delightful stories and characters that Mrs. Clearly created for us, and because Stockard Channing has brought them to life so perfectly here. The stories are reminiscent of simpler times and will take parents back to their own childhoods while providing toddlers to tweens with good, wholesome entertainment.

We listened on road trips, and unlike certain kids entertainment (a certain purple dinosaur comes to mind), you won't want the kids to wear headphones to preserve your sanity. You'll want it on the main speakers for everyone in the car to enjoy.

Five stars!

We've enjoyed this series & have purchased them all. The stories are great and the reading is well done!

I received this in a timely fashion and in excellent condition. My daughter and I really enjoyed this on a recent trip by car, and now my students are enjoying it.

I loved reading the Ramona series when I was a child, and I was thrilled to discover the audiobook version was read by Stockard Channing. I bought this set (along with Ramona the Pest) to listen to with my 5 year-old twin sons on a long car trip. We all loved it. I disagree with the reviewer who said the reader was hard to understand - we had no trouble at all. Stockard Channing is truly fantastic - one of the most versatile audiobook readers I've encountered. Her voicing of the various characters is brilliant. She brings the story to life, and my children love listening to her.

(We have the Junie B. Jones audiobooks as well, and I think these are much better - both the stories themselves and the reading. The Junie B. Jones books seem derivative to me, and the reader, while good, gets annoying after awhile).