Ramona Forever

infobox Book
name = Ramona Forever


image_caption =
author = Beverly Cleary
cover_artist = Tracy Dockray
country = United States
language = English
series = Ramona Quimby
genre = Novel
publisher = HarperCollins
release_date = 1984
media_type =
pages =
isbn = ISBN 0-380-70960-0 ISBN 978-0-380-70960-1
preceded_by = Ramona Quimby, Age 8
followed_by = Ramona's World

"Ramona Forever" is a juvenile fiction novel written by Beverly Cleary. It was first published in 1984 and was illustrated by Alan Tiegreen. The current edition was illustrated by Tracy Dockray. It is part of the popular Ramona Quimby series. "Ramona Forever" was the last book in the series before a fifteen-year hiatus. "Ramona's World", the most recent installment of the Ramona series, was published in 1999.

Plot

Ramona is progressing along as a third grader when her friend and neighbor Howie Kemp announces that his rich uncle Hobart is coming for a visit. Ramona is disappointed when he does arrive, not in a limo, but in a beat-up van and wearing a scraggly beard and jeans. On top of that, Uncle Hobart embarrasses Ramona in front of everybody, and Howie's grandmother blames Ramona when Willa Jean, Howie's little sister, sits on her new accordion and breaks it.

Ramona is able to persuade her parents to allow her and her older sister Beezus to stay home alone after school. It doesn't go well. The two get into an argument and then don't speak to each other for a period of time. They make amends when they are forced to bury their beloved cat, Picky-picky, who dies of old age.

There are also big changes in the Quimby household. Ramona's father had been working toward getting his teaching certificate, but had been having a hard time finding a job. He returns to work at the supermarket where he used to work as a cashier, this time as the manager. There is also a wedding - Ramona and Beezus' dear Aunt Beatrice marries none other than Howie's Uncle Hobart and moves to Alaska for a teaching job!

On top of everything else, Ramona's mother is pregnant again, and the baby comes in the final chapter - little Roberta. But when Ramona, Beezus, and their father go to the hospital to see the new arrival, Ramona is turned away because she is too young to visit the maternity ward. Sitting in the front lobby by herself, she starts to itch, which only went away when her father came down after the visit and kissed her.

The title of the novel comes from a scene when Ramona is at a wedding store, with Beezus, Howie, Willa-Jean and Uncle Hobart, preparing for the upcoming wedding. She finds a 360 degree mirror and plays in front of it for several minutes, enjoying how she can create the appearance of several Ramonas reflected in the mirrors. Ramona realizes the reflected Ramonas keep going on forever and therefore she keeps going on forever.