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Beverly
Cleary
Most people know
Beverly Cleary as the author of children's books featuring
Ramona Quimby, Henry Huggins, Ralph S. Mouse, and other memorable
characters. For decades, teachers have remarked that her interesting
books featuring ordinary kids have helped students to fall
in love with reading. But did you know that in early elementary
school Cleary herself had a hard time learning to read and
hated to do it?
Cleary has vivid memories of students in her first-grade class
being sorted into reading groups—Bluebirds, Redbirds,
and Blackbirds. While she longed to make the teacher happy
like the confident readers who were Bluebirds, Cleary struggled
with reading and was assigned to the Blackbird group. To make
matters worse, all the other Blackbirds were boys.
Cleary's mother, a schoolteacher and the organizer of their
town's first library, tried to help at home. Sometimes, however,
their lessons ended with the fed-up youngster crying and tossing
the book. Though her skills started to improve slowly by second
grade, Cleary found reading to be boring.
Things began to change in third grade when on a rainy afternoon
Cleary happened to stumble upon a book called “The Dutch
Twins” by Lucy Fitch Perkins. Unlike the simplified
folktales, mysteries, and historical stories that children
of Cleary's era were usually given to read, this book featured
everyday children. Finally, Cleary thought, something worth
reading!
From that day on, reading became one of her favorite activities.
But Cleary still wondered why authors didn't write more books
about plain kids like those from her neighborhood. The school
librarian suggested that maybe she should write such books
when she grew up. Lucky for all of us, Cleary took that advice!
Fun
facts about Beverly Cleary:
- Cleary
first made money as a writer in elementary school. She won
$2 in a contest for an essay she wrote about beavers.
- Remember
how Cleary became interested in reading after discovering
“The Dutch Twins?” Could it be fate that Cleary
went on to have a set of twins herself—a boy and a
girl, just like in the book?
- Before
she began writing children's books, Cleary was a librarian.
- While
many authors spend years trying to get their first manuscript
accepted, “Henry Huggins” was purchased by the
first publisher who read it.
- Kids
collected coins to build the Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden
for Children, an attraction in her home state of Oregon,
featuring bronze statues of Ramona, Henry, and Ribsy.
- When
Beverly Cleary turned 90 years old in 2006, students across
the country marked her birthday as a D.E.A.R. occasion—meaning
“Drop Everything and Read.” Fans may remember
that D.E.A.R. was one of the highlights of Ramona's school
day in “Ramona Quimby, Age 8.”
- Cleary
received the Newbery Medal, one of the highest honors in
children's literature, in 1984 for “Dear Mr. Henshaw.”
The book deals with a boy who comes to terms with his parents’
divorce while corresponding with his favorite author.
- Cleary's
books have received more than 35 statewide awards based
on the direct votes of her young readers.
- American
children aren't the only ones who like Cleary. There have
been Japanese, Swedish, and Spanish television programs
based on the Henry Huggins series.
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