 Author of the Month |
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Beverly Cleary |
Born: April 12, 1916 in McMinnville, Oregon Genre: Contemporary realistic fiction, family, humor, animal fantasy Biography | Books | Awards
and Honors | In the Classroom | Bulletin
Board Beverly ClearyBeverly Cleary was born in McMinnville, Oregon, and, until she was old enough to attend school, lived on a farm in Yamhill, a town so small it had no library. Her mother arranged with the State Library to have books sent to Yamhill and acted as librarian in a lodge room upstairs over a bank. There Mrs. Cleary learned to love books. When the family moved to Portland, where Mrs. Cleary attended grammar school and high school, she soon found herself in the low reading circle, an experience that has given her sympathy for the problems of struggling readers. By the third grade she had conquered reading and spent much of her childhood either with books or on her way to and from the public library. Before long her school librarian was suggesting that she should write for boys and girls when she grew up. The idea appealed to her, and she decided that someday she would write the books she longed to read but was unable to find on the library shelves, funny stories about her neighborhood and the sort of children she knew. After graduation from junior college in Ontario, California, and the University of California at Berkeley, Mrs. Cleary entered the School of Librarianship at the University of Washington, Seattle. There she specialized in library work with children. She was Children's Librarian in Yakima, Washington, until she married Clarence Cleary and moved to California. The Clearys are the parents of twins, now grown. Mrs. Cleary's hobbies are travel and needlework. When children ask Mrs. Cleary where she finds her ideas, she replies, "From my own experience and from the world around me." Henry Huggins, written when she was in her early thirties, was her first attempt at writing outside of school assignments. Her advice to the many children who write asking for "tips" on writing is for them to read widely while growing up, and when the time comes for them to write, they will find their own way of writing and will not need tips to guide them. This witty and warm author is truly an international favorite. Mrs. Cleary's books appear in over twenty countries in fourteen languages. There have been Japanese, Spanish, and Swedish television programs based on the Henry Huggins series. PBS-TV aired a ten-part series based on the Ramona stories. One-hour adaptations of the three Ralph S. Mouse books have been shown on ABC-TV. All of Mrs. Cleary's adaptations still can be seen on cable television, and the Ramona adaptations are available in video stores. Selection of Awards and Honors
Beverly Cleary's BooklistHere is a selected list of the author's published work. Ramona's World Ramona's back for more fun as she enters the fourth grade in this new addition to the Ramona series. "Cleary's writing still reflects a secure middle-class family and untroubled school life, untouched by the classroom violence or the broken families of the 1990s. While her book doesn't match what's in the newspapers, it's a timeless, serene alternative for children, especially those with less than happy realities…"—School Library Journal Ramona and Her Father Ramona is not satisfied with life in the second grade—her dad lost his job; her mom found a full-time job; and her big sister Beezus has "reached a difficult age." This amusing tale follows Ramona's efforts to take charge, including a crusade to help her father stop smoking. Ramona Quimby, Age 8 Now that Ramona's eight, she can go to a new school and ride the bus all by herself. But after school, life isn't as easy for Ramona as it used to be – she now has to stay with grandmother and be nice to that bratty Willa Jean until her temperamental sister comes to take her home. "Cleary shows us life through Ramona's eyes and shows her young readers that they are not alone."—Kirkus Reviews. Dear Mr. Henshaw Through a series of letters to his favorite author, Leigh Botts—a child of divorce—reveals how much he misses his father and his dog; his concern about who's stealing his food from his lunch box; and his struggling efforts to write a story for the yearbook. "This is touching, often funny, adroitly structured and written with craft and compassion."—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. Henry Huggins Beverly Cleary's first novel follows the friendship of Ribsy, a scruffy dog, and Henry, who wants a little more excitement in his life. Together they fall into one hilarious misadventure after another. The Mouse and the Motorcycle A reckless young mouse named Ralph befriends a boy who saves his life, and discovers the fun of riding a toy motorcycle. "Cleary again successfully combines fantasy and reality." Booklist Runaway Ralph This award-winning sequel to The Mouse and the Motorcycle follows the adventures of Ralph, who's fed up with his pesky family and decides to run away. Ralph S. Mouse Ralph's back… and he's going to school! To escape his jealous mouse relatives and to save a friend's job, Ralph convinces the son of the housekeeper at Mountain View Inn to take him to school. Ralph's a hit in the classroom—and takes up driving. In the ClassroomEncourage your students to read one of Beverly Cleary's books. Then, ask them to assume the point of view of one of the characters, i.e. Ramona, Beezus, Ralph, or Leigh, and write about that character's reaction to a specific scene or conflict in the book. (What might have Ramona confided in her diary after her first week at school in the third grade?) Or, ask your students to write a story about their experiences at school and/or with their families. Welcome to the Children's Literature Bulletin Board!Please share your activity and lesson plan ideas, or read about how other educators use Beverly Cleary's books in their classrooms on our Author of the Month bulletin board. |
