Beverly Cleary

Children's Literature

Readers who love Leigh Botts, Ramona Quimby, Henry Huggins, and Ribsy will be delighted to learn more about Beverly Cleary from this short biography in the "My Favorite Writer" series. Cleary started life on a farm in Yamhill, Oregon, but later moved to Portland where so many of her books are set. Although her family was hard hit by the Depression, Beverly was always encouraged to write, and was later able to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Following her mother's example, Cleary became a librarian and began to write books for children, inspired by the real children she knew (and even about a mouse named Ralph). Fans will be glad to learn that Cleary is still writing; her last Ramona book was published in 1999. Cleary's most popular books are summarized here, along with information on the awards they've won (including the Newbery Medal). For the aspiring writer's benefit, the publishers include tips on writing a biography review and introduce a model of a concept web, but the most insightful sections feature some of Cleary's own ideas about writing. And while a web can be a useful pre-writing tool, teachers may prefer to introduce this idea themselves at an appropriate time in their writing curriculum. For more about Cleary's life, readers will surely want to read her lively autobiographical works, Girl from Yamhill, and My Own Two Feet. Included in each volume of the series are glossaries of writing terms and of words specific to each subject. 2003, Weigl, Ages 9 to 12.
—Barbara L. Talcroft