Beverly Cleary was born in 1916 in Oregon. She grew up on a farm, and there was no library nearby. Beverly’s mother realized this was not a good thing for children being educated in small farm town schools. She originally struggled with reading and had a difficult time in school. Eventually, however, she found a good teacher in the second grade that helped to foster her love for reading. Access to a library soon followed, and Beverly became an avid reader and lover of literature. She attended the University of Washington in Seattle, and obtained her library science degree in 1939. Soon after graduation, she got a full time job at a library, where she was able to interact with young children. This inspired her to write, and she published several well-known books, many Newberry Medals, and has captured the hearts and imaginations of children all over the world.

Cleary’s first book was entitled Henry Huggins, published in 1950. Before the age of printer ink and computers, Beverly Cleary wrote with a typewriter and a pen, dreaming up fun characters for children to enjoy. The book Henry Huggins featured the main character Henry, his dog Ribsy, and of course, the ever famous Ramona Quimby. This first book was the beginning of a series of several books about Henry, as well as Ribsy, which was published in 1964 and is one of her most loved novels. The Mouse and the Motorcycle is a book about a mouse named Ralph and his human friend Keith, who gives him a small motorcycle to ride.

• The Mouse & The Motorcycle – This site features a teacher’s guide with lesson plans, guides for the book, quizzes, and much more. It also allows visitors to choose links based on the grade and level of education.

• Interview with Beverly Cleary – Video featuring an in-depth interview with the famous author including discussions about her life, background, and writings.

• Writer Profile – Article discussing the influences for many of Cleary’s characters, as well as biographical information.

• The Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden – Sculpture garden containing characters from many of Cleary’s books, located at the Multnomah County Library in Oregon.

• Lesson Plans – Several easy to use lesson plans for teachers and students that offer study questions, vocabulary lessons, and much more. Each link leads to resources about the author and her books.

• Ramona Quimby, Age 8 – Website contains a brief synopsis of the popular book, as well as reader reviews and a biography of Beverly Cleary.

• Beverly Cleary Teacher’s Resources – Lesson plans for many of Cleary’s books, all reviewed by teachers so they can choose the best plan for their needs.

• Biography – A nice biography from Harper Collins, as well as reading guides to some of her books.

• PDF File Lesson Plan – PDF File of a lesson plan created by an elementary school teacher for Ramona Quimby, Age 8.

• Biographical Information – In-depth biography and background about Beverly Cleary and her influences for writing her books.

• Timeline – Interesting timeline of events that happened in Beverly Cleary’s life, as well as things that affected the world throughout that same time.

• Interview Transcript – Text of an interview with Mrs. Cleary about her life, books, and interests. Great for research papers and for teachers.

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