Ramona the Pest
by Beverly Cleary
- Lexile
- 750L
- Grade range
- Grades 2–4
- Age range
- Ages 7–10
- Pages
- 192
- First published
- 1968
- Genre
- Middle Grade Fiction
- ISBN-13
- 9780380709540
About this book
Five-year-old Ramona Quimby's first year of kindergarten — with boot-pulling disasters, teacher misunderstandings, and an ongoing feud with her sister Beezus. Cleary's Ramona novels are a pillar of US elementary reading lists, assigned routinely in grades 2-4 and appearing in Common Core ELA Appendix B.
Themes
- family
- school
- growing up
- being misunderstood
Where this book is assigned
Common Core State Standards (ELA)
- recommended· 3rd gradesource: CCSS ELA Appendix B, grades 2-3 exemplar (Cleary)
- recommended· 3rd grade · Oregonsource: Oregon DOE — Beverly Cleary as state author
Similar grade-level books
Common questions
- What grade level is Ramona the Pest?
- Ramona the Pest is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 2–4, with a Lexile measure of 750L. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
- What is the Lexile level of Ramona the Pest?
- Ramona the Pest has a Lexile measure of 750L according to MetaMetrics. Lexile measures text complexity, not content maturity — check the grade range and content notes separately for age-appropriateness.
- What curricula assign Ramona the Pest?
- Ramona the Pest appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is Ramona the Pest banned in schools?
- Ramona the Pest does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.
- What themes does Ramona the Pest explore?
- Central themes in Ramona the Pest include family, school, growing up, being misunderstood. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.