Beverly Cleary
Beverly Cleary
Beverly Atlee Clearyis an American writer of children's and young adult fiction. One of America's most successful living authors, 91 million copies of her books have been sold worldwide since her first book was published in 1950. Some of her best known characters are Henry Huggins and his dog Ribsy, Ramona and Beezus Quimby, and Ralph S. Mouse...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionChildren's Author
Date of Birth12 April 1916
CityMcminnville, OR
CountryUnited States of America
One rainy Sunday when I was in the third grade, I picked up a book to look at the pictures and discovered that even though I did not want to, I was reading. I have been a reader ever since.
My favorite books are a constantly changing list, but one favorite has remained constant: the dictionary. Is the word I want to use spelled practice or practise? The dictionary knows. The dictionary also slows down my writing because it is such interesting reading that I am distracted.
I hope children will be happy with the books I've written, and go on to be readers all of their lives.
The exterior circumstances have certainly changed for many children. The world is not the safe place it was when I was growing up.
I'm very surprised at the high number of boys who have written to say that reading my books was hard work but worth it. I have many loyal boy readers.
My books take place in a very specific neighborhood in Portland, Oregon. It must be the most stable neighborhood in the United States.
I haven't been very enthusiastic about the commercialization of children's literature. Kids should borrow books from the library and not necessarily be buying them.
Children want to do what grownups do.
I was a very observant child. The boys in my books are based on boys in my neighborhood growing up.
My mother would read aloud to my father and me in the evening. She read mainly travel books.
Today I discovered two kinds of people who go to high school: those who wear new clothes to show off on the first day, and those who wear their oldest clothes to show they think school is unimportant.
I had a very wise mother. She always kept books that were my grade level in our house.
The humiliation that Jane had felt turned to something else--grief perhaps, or regret. Regret that she had not known how to act with a boy, regret that she had not been wiser.
Writers are good at plucking out what they need here and there.