Ramona the Brave
Beverly Cleary
 Summer is coming to an end. Ramona has spent most of it with her friend Howie Kemp, pounding old bricks into dust in a game called Brick Factory. Brick Factory makes Ramona feel powerful, something that doesn't happen very often since she is the youngest in her family. Ramona longs to be brave and grown-up, so when some boys tease her older sister about her name Ramona sticks up for her and gives them a lecture. She's crushed to realize that instead of considering her a hero, Beezus is embarrassed and angrier at Ramona than the boys. Why can't everyone see that she is trying so hard to grow up? Summer gets more interesting when Mother gets a part-time job and some workmen cut a hole in their house to add an extra bedroom. Beezus and Ramona are going to take turns using the room, and for once Ramona gets to be first. She can't wait for school to start so she can tell everyone in first grade about the big, slightly scary, hole in her house. But she isn't prepared for how frightening it is to go to sleep in the new room - alone. The good part about first grade is that Ramona is learning to read. The bad part is that Ramona is sure her teacher, Mrs. Griggs, doesn't like her. And as hard as she works on her self-control she just can't seem to stay out of trouble. One day when her class is making paper-bag owls for Parents' Night, Ramona sees Susan, her kindergarten nemesis, copying her owl. Mrs. Griggs sees Susan's owl first and shows it off to the class. Ramona is so angry that Susan copied so now her owl isn't special, that she destroys both of them. Later she is forced to apologize to Susan in front of the whole class. The final chapter describes how Ramona became "The Brave." One day on her way to school a big dog comes after her, so she takes off her shoe and throws it at him. The dog picks up her shoe and carries it away and Ramona limps off to school. That turns out to be the morning Mrs. Griggs finally chooses her to lead the morning flag salute, and she discovers that Ramona is only wearing one shoe. Ramona uses her ingenuity to deal with the situation, and when her shoe is returned the school secretary compliments her bravery.