Ramona and Her Father is the fourth book in the eight-book Ramona series, written by Beverly Cleary and first published in 1975. Cleary was a renowned children’s author who penned several monumental series in the genre and paved the way for what the genre has evolved into today. Over 91 million copies of her novels have been sold. Ramona and Her Father is a realistic fiction novel featuring seven-year-old Ramona, who deals with Facing Adult Issues as a Child while Discovering One’s Inner Strength. Ramona learns that The Support of the Family Unit is essential in getting through life’s challenges. The novel was awarded the John Newbery Medal in 1978.

This guide utilizes the 1977 (reprinted) Harper Collins edition of the novel.

Content Warning: The source material and guide feature depictions of substance use.

Plot Summary

Seven-year-old Ramona Quimby happily makes her Christmas list in September. Her older sister, Beezus, is dreading an upcoming creative writing assignment, and Mrs. Quimby looks forward to Mr. Quimby coming home with a paycheck. The fridge is empty, and Ramona suggests going out for burgers. When Mr. Quimby comes home, he seems sullen and announces that he was laid off. He received one last paycheck, but the family will have to survive on Mrs. Quimby’s earnings until he finds another job. Ramona starts to wonder what she can do to help her family.

As days go by, Mr. Quimby falls into a depressed state. He spends his time either looking for work or sitting on the couch smoking cigarettes. He and Ramona are watching TV one day when a commercial appears featuring a young boy. Mr. Quimby mentions that he must make $1 million, and Ramona decides to start practicing her lines to be in a commercial. Unfortunately, this leads to her being rude to a teacher and making a prickly crown that takes hours to untangle. After a parent-teacher meeting, Mr. Quimby assures Ramona that she is loved just the way she is.

Ramona notices her family’s mood growing darker and tries to cheer them up. The family cat refuses to eat the new, cheaper cat food and meows loudly. Thankfully, a neighbor brought over a pumpkin for the family to carve, and doing so lightens the mood. Overnight, the cat eats and destroys the pumpkin, which makes Ramona’s parents laugh but upsets Ramona and her sister. Beezus accuses her father of wasting money on cigarettes, which are also horrible for his health. Hearing that her father could get sick worries Ramona, and she has a hard time falling back asleep.

The next day, Ramona and her sister start putting up no-smoking signs around the house, but Mr. Quimby ignores them. When Ramona comes home from school a few days later, nobody is home to let her inside, and she sits down on the stoop and cries. When her father appears, he explains that a long line at the unemployment office made him late, and Ramona forgives him. Inside, she watches as Mr. Quimby pulls out his cigarettes and places them on the counter without having one. She suggests they color together, and while they do so, Mr. Quimby admits that he plans to quit smoking.

Mr. Quimby is tense as he tries to quit, and Beezus’s creative writing assignment is coming up. She interviews an elderly neighbor to find out more about her childhood and then plans to write about it. Ramona joins Beezus for the interview, and they learn that their neighbor used to love making tin can stilts as a child. Ramona and her friend Howie decide to try it, and Ramona finds that playing with Howie and letting go helps her relax and forget her family troubles.

With the Christmas Nativity play at church coming up, Ramona volunteers to be a sheep and have her mother sew a costume. She does this without asking her mother first, and she learns that Mrs. Quimby hardly has time to sew while she is working full-time. Mr. Quimby gets angry about the situation and calls Ramona a “spoiled brat” one night, which Ramona overhears. Days later, Ramona comes home from school and finds the house smelling like cigarettes. She lectures her father, who tries to explain how difficult it can be to quit an old habit. Ramona assures her father she loves him no matter what and confesses that she wishes the family could be happy. Mr. Quimby surprises Ramona by replying that he believes the Quimby family is quite happy, and everyone just does the best they can. Ramona considers this and realizes her father is right.

As Christmas approaches, Mr. Quimby finally finds a job working at a supermarket. The household atmosphere feels less tense, but Ramona is still worried about her costume. Mrs. Quimby was only able to finish the ears and tail. On the night of the Nativity play, Ramona tells her family she doesn’t want to be in the play anymore. In the church basement, Ramona sits in the corner by herself and sulks while the other children laugh and get ready. After most of the children leave, Ramona sees three girls putting makeup on to become The Three Wise Persons. She asks if they could give her a black nose so she feels more like a sheep, and it helps Ramona feel better about her role. Ramona happily joins the play and bleats as she goes. Standing at the front of the church with her sister (who plays Mary) and her friends, Ramona looks out into the audience and sees her parents. She thinks about how grateful she is to have such a loving family.