Inevitably domestic tensions, not without their amusing
side, occasionally arise. Mr. and Mrs. Quimby sometimes
forget who is to do what, as when the Crock-Pot is not
plugged in and dinner remains uncooked. Beezus acquires a
ludicrous teased hairdo at the student body shop while
Ramona gets a becoming pixie haircut. Ramona, who feels
unloved, takes to twitching her nose like a rabbit in a
cozy picture book until her teacher becomes concerned that
something is making her nervous.
Yet Ramona is wrong. She is loved, and readers will
rejoice with her when she discovers the wonderful truth.
Few writers today are as skilled as Mrs. Cleary at showing
families in the round, and here she is at the peak of her
powers.