After losing her parents in a car accident, Ramona, a child with abundant energy and imagination, moves in with her stern, elderly grandmother. Constantly bullied at school, friendless and lonely Ramona stumbles upon a world of magic and adventure as she plays by the stream near her school where she finds solace. Oliver the spider, Eva the queen bee, Rafael the mouse, Michelangelo the overgrown butterfly, a maternal mother ladybug named Lady Red, and many other talking critters befriend Ramona on her visits. More and more, Ramona finds herself cutting class to go to the stream, where she finds love and acceptance among her newfound friends who are always there when she needs them. They journey to many places and meet many different animals as Oliver shrinks Ramona to miniature size during their playtime.
Back at home and at school, everything seems to be going wrong for Ramona. Oliver, woven into the curls behind Ramona's ear, tags along with her during her schooldays and whispers advice to her from his hiding spot on how to treat others, deal with bullies, and forgive and show compassion to others. He also stresses to her the importance of heeding her grandmother's advice.
"We should find what makes us happy, and then use it to do something good and lasting for the world," Oliver advises her. Ramona finds herself taking self-defense classes from an ant sergeant and singing lessons from a ladybug choir. Accepted among her miniature friends and no longer a lonely outcast, Ramona exhibits great courage and strength in the face of danger from snakes and large birds who seek to harm her and her friends. Ramona is invincible as her friends give her the confidence to face her fears and discover her true talents.
Ramona begins to go to church to learn from the choir. The sermons inspire her to be kinder to others, especially the children at school who treated her badly. Ramona begins to be noticed by teachers and some classmates, finally in a positive way. She even befriends another girl at her school and introduces her to Oliver and the others.
Ramona finds that she's gifted in many things. But the greatest gift of all, she finds, is the unconditional love of a true friend. This delightfully spun tale will touch your heart, and it will certainly make you think twice before smashing that spider on the wall!
About the Author
For nearly a quarter of a century, Dr. Helen Ramirez has been a public school teacher. She feels proud to have helped thousands of children learn new things and find excitement through discovery. After many years of hard work, she earned her Ed.D. in Education in 2011. The accomplishment that she's most proud of in life is that she's a wife and a mother of six children-two stepsons, two sons, and two daughters. She believes that there is no greater gift to society than being a good parent. She often enjoys hiking with her family on trails near her home and trips to the mountains. Spending time in nature is important to her and brings her tranquility.
