Book to Movie #1: Ramona and Beezus

Ramona and Beezus
written by Beverly Cleary

I found it humorous that on the front of the book Romona and Beezus, it has a spot saying "Read it before you see it". The movie is more of a compilation of several of the Romana and Beezus books. When I watched it, I was happy to see many of the same situations portrayed in the chapter books to be accurate throughout the movie. Although, the movie is true to several Romona and Bezzus books, if someone only had read the book Ramona and Beezus, they would have been confused during the movie, I believe.

 

Differences that I found:

• Bezzus' birthday was not in the movie.
• The room addition to the house is a different Romona title.
• All characters are portrayed older in the movie than in the book.
• Aunt B. does not have a love interest in the book, nor is she getting married and moving to Alaska.
• Ramona was not beginning her first day of school in the movie.
• Henry's dog was not locked in the bathroom during the movie.
• The family does not yet have another child.

Overall, I would suggest that a reader read several of the Ramona titles if they wanted a true picture of where all the ideas for the movie came from. Also, reading all the titles will be very enjoyable. I enjoyed both the movie and the original Ramona and Beezus title. If the movie producers would have stayed true to the original title, I think there would be chances for sequels following the other titles including, Ramona Quimbly Age 8, Ramona and Her Mother, etc.