in thinking the "Ramona" novels (by Beverley Cleary) are suitable for a 6 yo boy?

[Greythorne]

Ramona is a brilliant protagonist. Always getting into scrapes inadvertently. Has an incredibly original way of thinking about things. Very memorable storylines. Beverley Cleary is a super writer and my DC have all loved the Ramona series.

I suggested them to a friend for her 6 yo boy. She pooh poohed me, because he would not be interested in a "book for girls".

AIBU in thinking this is crazy thinking?

How ridiculous, to imagine that a protagonist of the opposite sex won't appeal! Look at all those Harry Potter-loving girls. Ramona is great fun and I think any six year old, boy or girl, would enjoy her. Same goes for Pippi Longstocking.

They are great books. I would say they are suitable for boys or girls. Is your friend saying that her son should not read a book with a female lead character? That would be madness as well as sexism. It's not as if Ramona is a girly girl anyway, as you say she's always getting into scrapes :)

I loved these books as a child. Definitely suitable for anyone.

Ds enjoyed them and he loved the film.

I still always think of Ramona when I hear thevAnerican national anthem and the 'dawnzer lee light'

My boys love them (they're 8 and 6). The Henry Huggins books are good too.

did your friend get in a funk about it

That's appalling! Your friend can't have read them - brilliant books, and nothing girly about them at all, the protagonist just happens to be female. By that reckoning Charlie and the Chocolate Factory's just for boys, while girls can have Matilda...

My boys loved these-

YANBU. But your friend is. Those are wonderful books. I still love them. But if your friend is adamant, maybe you can persuade her by giving her the Henry Huggins series in which Ramona has a pretty big role. This may cause her 6 year old to demand Ramona once he knows she has books all to herself.

YANBU! Are they going to miss out on Pippi Longstocking, My Naughty Little Sister, etc, etc, too?

I grew up on Ramona. There were also books about Henry, the boy she pesters.

I think I might buy the set and give them to her son for his birthday. I can't bear this gender stuff at any age, but at age 6 it is truly shocking.

oh i loved the ramona books as a child!

i would definitely say they are ok for your ds

Maybe he can just read the bits with Howie in, just in case reading a girls book turns him sissy?

(NB I am being heavily sarcastic)

They are wonderful books. Sadly, publishers (and evidently some parents) seem convinced that girls will read books with male protagonists but boys won't read about female protagonists. I think we should give boys more credit than that. I've known many boys who absolutely love the Ramona books.

Minor claim to fame: I met Beverly Clearly when I was ten years old. She was very nice and friendly.

Dd read a couple with me and then I got rid of them, I didn't like them. I didn't like the silly way she phrased things. The made up words and poor grammar. Dd was 5 at the time and started to copy some of the speech patterns and I had to keep correcting her, we are in the US and our American friends and their children speak better than that.