Beverly Cleary Has Died At 104
Whenever I do the April 12 birthdays list for this site, I smile for real (the only time I smile all year!) at the name Beverly Cleary, because it takes me back to when I’d feel a simple jolt of happiness from getting to read one of her books after buying one from the book fair. So I did the opposite when I read today that legendary children’s book author Beverly Cleary has died.
Suzanne Murphy, the president of Beverly’s publisher, HarperCollins, delivered the sad news, saying that she died on Thursday in Carmel, CA, where she lived for decades.
“We are saddened by the passing of Beverly Cleary, one of the most beloved children’s authors of all time. Looking back, she’d often say, ‘I’ve had a lucky life,’ and generations of children count themselves lucky too—lucky to have the very real characters Beverly Cleary created, including Henry Huggins, Ramona and Beezus Quimby, and Ralph S. Mouse, as true friends who helped shape their growing-up years. We at HarperCollins also feel extremely lucky to have worked with Beverly Cleary and to have enjoyed her sparkling wit. Her timeless books are an affirmation of her everlasting connection to the pleasures, challenges, and triumphs that are part of every childhood.”
As everyone who has ever filled out a Scholastic book order form knows, Beverly Cleary gifted us with iconic children’s book character after iconic children’s book character from Ramona Quimby to Beezus Quimby to Ralph S. Mouse to Henry Huggins to Ribsy.
Beverly Cleary (born name: Beverly Atlee Bunn) was raised in Portland, Oregon, and in the first grade, she struggled with reading, but eventually she got much, much better and read all the time. Beverly’s sixth grade teacher spotted her writing talent in her essays and told her she should become a children’s book author. When Beverly walked into heaven, her sixth grade teacher was probably waiting for her like, “Where’s my cut, Beverly?!”
Beverly got her BA in English from UC Berkeley and later got her master’s degree in library science from the University of Washington. Beverly worked as a children’s librarian in Yakima, WA and later Oakland, CA. While working as a librarian, she realized that there weren’t a lot of books with characters that children, especially boys, could relate to. So she started writing her own.
Henry Huggins was published in 1950 and it was Beverly’s first book. Henry Huggins was based on Beverly’s own childhood and the kids she grew up with. She continued to write about Henry as well as his dog Ribsy and his neighborhood friend Beezus and her little sister Ramona. Ramona was a thorn with bangs in Henry’s side. I mean, Ramona was a mess! Beverly wrote Ramona that way because she was sick of children’s books telling kids that they had to be obedient. So Ramona was a character who does not “learn to be a better girl.” And if that was Ramona, then I guess my favorite character Willa Jean was someone who learned to not give a fuck!
Beverly Cleary wrote over 40 books throughout her career. Her last book, Ramona’s World, was published in 1999. Her books have sold over 90 million copies worldwide, and she won a National Book Award and a Newbery Medal. She also received the National Medal of Arts and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal. There’s even a public school in Portland named after her.
Beverly was married to Clarence Cleary, who she met at Berkeley, for 64 years until his death in 2004. They had twins, Malcolm and Marianne, together. Beverly is survived by her children, three grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
Here’s Beverly talking about her career with Today right before her 100th birthday:
Rest in peace, Beverly Cleary.
Pic: Wikimedia Commons