Ramona
Ralph
Henry
BEVERLY CLEARY
As rain beat against the windows, a feeling of peace came over me as I wrote far
beyond the required length of the essay. I had discovered the pleasure of writing,
and to this day, whenever it rains, I feel the urge to write. Most of my books are
written in winter. -- A Girl from Yamhill
Beverly Bunn was born on a farm in a small town in Oregon. There was no library there, so her
mother arranged to have books sent and acted as the librarian. Later, the family moved to Portland, where
Beverly attended elementary and high school. Here, she discovered her low reading ability through her
struggles at school, an experience that has given her sympathy for other children who have reading
difficulties. After junior college, Beverly graduated from the University of California at Berkeley, then
entered the School of Librarianship at the University of Washington, Seattle, where she specialized in library
work with children. Later, she married Mr. Clarence Cleary and had twins. During World War II she served
as librarian at an Army camp, and then at an army library in a hospital.
Cleary wrote her first book, Henry Huggins, in 1950. The problems faced by her characters are those
encountered by most children as they grow up: making mistakes; feeling helpless, misunderstood, guilty, or
left out; sibling rivalry; bullies; the death of a pet; and others. Cleary was one of the first to focus on the
experiences of the only child and children of divorced or single-parent families, as well as children struggling
in school or just to fit in. Several of Cleary's characters also have trouble adjusting. She has now written 2
memoirs, and over 30 children's books, many illustrated by Louis Darling. The Beverly Cleary Sculpture
Garden for Children, featuring bronze statues of Ramona Quimby, Henry Huggins, and Ribsy, can be found
at Grant Park in Portland, Oregon.
Awards
*1975 American Library Association's Laura Ingalls Wilder Award
*1978 Newbery Honor Book - Ramona and Her Father
*1980 Catholic Library Association's Regina Medal
*1982 Newbery Honor Book - Ramona Quimby, Age 8
*1982 University of Southern Mississippi's Silver Medallion
Socks
*1984 John Newbery Medal - Dear Mr. Henshaw
*1984 United States author nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Award
*more than 35 statewide awards based on the direct votes of her readers
Ellen
Books
Ellen Tebbits (1951)
Otis Spofford (1953)
Henry and the Clubhouse (1962)
Henry and his friends avoid Ramona
(the pest) by retreating to their
clubhouse with a sign saying “No Girls
Allowed-This Means You!” Ramona has
been bothering Henry so much she has
almost cost him his job! Activity: Use a
shoebox to build your dream clubhouse.
Paint or decorate the outside, then use clay,
construction paper, or something else to fill the inside
with toys, furniture, friends, or whatever you want!
Ribsy (1964)
Ribsy is lost in a huge parking lot in the
rain. When he thinks he has found the
station wagon at last, he jumps in and
falls asleep only to wake up and find
himself in the wrong car! All Ribsy wants
to do is go home to Henry. Instead, he's
about to begin the liveliest adventure of
his life.
Ramona Quimby, Age 8 (1981)
Ramona feels quite grown-up taking the bus
by herself, helping big sister Beezus make
dinner, and trying hard to be nice to pesky
Willa Jean after school. Turning eight years
old and entering the first grade can do that to
a girl. So how can her teacher call her a
nuisance? Activity: When Ramona writes the first letter of
her last name, a “Q,” she decorates it and makes it into a
cat. Use the first letter of your last name to create a design,
animal, or other picture.
Dear Mr. Henshaw (1983)
Leigh Botts has always been Mr. Henshaw's number one
fan. Now in sixth grade, he's lonely, troubled
by the absence of his father, and angry
because a mysterious thief steals from his
lunchbag. When Leigh's teacher assigns a
letter-writing project, he chooses to write to
Mr. Henshaw, whose surprising answer
changes Leigh's life. Activity: Write a letter
to someone you admire. Tell them about a problem you
may be having and ask for advice. Then switch letters with
a classmate and write a response giving them advice and
encouragement.
Ralph S. Mouse (1982)
Strider (1991)
Mitch and Amy (1967)
Resources
 Cleary, Beverly. A Girl from Yamhill: A Memoir. New York:William Morrow, 1988.
 Cleary, Beverly. My Own Two Feet: A Memoir. New York:William Morrow, 1995.
 Educational Paperback Association. 2007. Cleary, Beverly: Biographical Essay. Retrieved November
2, 2007, from http://www.edupaperback.org/showauth2.cfm?authid=21.
 Harper Collins Publishers Inc. 2007. The World of Beverly Cleary. Retrieved November 2, 2007, from
http://www.beverlycleary.com.
 Multnomah County Library. 2007. Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden. Retrieved November 2, 2007,
from http://www.multcolib.org/kids/cleary/.
 Pflieger, Pat. Beverly Clearly. Boston:Twayne, 1991.
 U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. 2007. Reading Rockets: A Video
Interview with Beverly Cleary. Retrieved November 2, 2007, from
http://www.readingrockets.org/books/interviews/cleary.