With Beverly Cleary’s birthday coming up, it makes sense to celebrate some of her most beloved characters. I wrote about her literary impact last year, and how her books about regular working-class families reflected the reality of her readers’ lives. Normal didn’t mean unimportant. Her most famous character, Ramona Quimby, taught young people (and girls especially) that pursuing their imagination was a worthy cause. Being loud and taking up space was also commendable.
Her impact on children’s fiction is large, especially in how many novels for kids there are about determined young people dealing with life’s daily problems and giving themselves to the joys of imagination. Even when the young people in your life have exhausted the stories of Ramona Quimby, they’ll have tons of choices for Ramona-like protagonists in children’s and middle grade fiction. These titles are a few to help kids keep the reading momentum going.
Ramona’s Acolytes
Ways to Make Sunshine by Renée Watson, illustrated by Niña Mata
This is the perfect start to a new series for a reader looking for a new character to follow. Ryan Hart is committed to always finding the sunshine of a situation. If she can’t find it, she’ll create it. She may argue with her brother, and sometimes her cooking experiments go awry, but that doesn’t stop her. The optimism of Ryan is unparalleled.
Zara’s Rules for Record-Breaking Fun by Hena Khan, illustrated by Wastana Haikal
The neighborhood is Zara’s whole world, and she’s determined to make it fun and sparkly for everyone. Like Ramona Quimby, she has an excellent and indefatigable imagination. A new girl in the neighborhood, Naomi, is more interesting to Zara’s friends. To get attention back, Zara launches a plan to break a Guinness World Record.
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Regarding the Fountain: A Tale, in Letters, of Liars and Leaks by Kate Klise, illustrated by M. Sarah Klise
This writer team was one of my absolute favorites a child because the kids in their epistolary novels were so full of imagination and joy. When the Dry Creek Middle School fountain falls apart, the fountain designer Flo Water gets the commission to fix it. However, Flo only does custom, gigantic fountains. In a series of letters brimming with imaginative fountain designs from fifth graders to Flo, the project takes on a life of its own, and a major conspiracy starts to come to light.
If you’re looking for more to satisfy a young reader, check out this list of Baby-sitters Club readalikes, and the most anticipated children’s and middle grade books of 2026.
English (US) · 