April 9, 2016 | ms.amelia
Beloved author Beverly Cleary turns 100 years old on April 12th. She started publishing books in 1950, with Henry Huggins as the first in not only a series of books featuring Henry, his friend Beezus, and her sister Ramona, but also the first in a career spanning over 40 years. She's won several awards, including the Newbery Medal in 1984 for Dear Mr. Henshaw, Newbery Honors for Ramona and Her Father in 1978 and Ramona Quimby, Age 8 in 1982, and the National Book Award for Ramona and Her Mother in 1981. Her birthday has been recognized for years as National Drop Everything and Read (D.E.A.R.) Day to promote sustained silent reading. If you haven't checked out her writings already, take this opportunity to read one of her books in her honor. A number of these titles are also available for free to read on the computer or to listen to as audiobooks.
Image credit from State Library Photograph Collection, 1851-1990, Washington State Archives, Digital
Autobiographies About Her Life
"Generations of children have grown up with Henry Huggins, Ramona Quimby, and all of their friends, families, and assorted pets. For everyone who enjoyed the pranks and schemes, embarassing moments, and all of the other poignant and colorful images of childhood brought to life in Beverly Cleary books, here is the fascinating true story of the remarkable woman who created them." --From back of book.
Follows the popular children's author through college years during the Depression; jobs including that of librarian; marriage; and writing and publication of her first book, "Henry Huggins".
Henry, Ramona, and Beezus
When Henry adopts Ribsy, a dog of no particular breed, humorous adventures follow.
Ten year old Henry has many funny experiences as he tries to get a paper route.
All Henry Huggins can think about is owning a bicycle. Henry decides he'll earn the money to buy his own bike..and that's when the fun begins.
Henry Huggins makes a deal with his father--if Henry can keep his dog Ribsy out of trouble for a month, he can go fishing with his father. Ribsy does his best to make Henry lose the deal.
As you follow along with Ramona's sometimes funny, sometimes embarrassing moments, you can write about your own memorable experiences.
The family routine is upset during Ramona's year in second grade when her father unexpectedly loses his job.
Ramona at 7 1/2 sometimes feels discriminated against by being the youngest in the family.
Ramona's year in third grade is highlighted by the arrival of Howie's rich uncle, a change in her after-school situation, a surprise wedding, a death and a new arrival in the family, and her father's getting a job.
Ramona starts kindergarten where her good intentions and uncontrollable curiosity lead her to be labeled a pest.
Six-year-old Ramona tries to cope with an unsympathetic first-grade teacher.
Follows the adventures of nine-year-old Ramona at home with big sister Beezus and baby sister Roberta and at school in Mrs. Meacham's class.
When Ribsy, a city dog, strays from Henry Huggins, he sets off a chain of hilarious events as he tries to find his way back home. Grades 3-5.
Ralph S. Mouse Series
Ralph the mouse ventures out from behind the piney knothole in the wall of his hotel-room home, scrambles up the telephone wire to the end table, and climbs aboard the toy motorcycle left there by a young guest.
Ralph runs away looking for freedom but winds up a prisoner at a summer camp.
Presents the further adventures of a motorcycle-riding mouse who goes to school and becomes the instigator of an investigation of rodents and the peacemaker for two lonely boys.
Stand-Alone Titles (Not part of a series) or Short Series
Jimmy and Janet, four-year-old twins, share the adventures of digging a hole to China, finding a worthy recipient for their dog biscuits, shopping for new shoes, and getting real beds to replace their cribs.
Maggie resists learning cursive writing in the third grade, until she discovers that knowing how to read and write cursive promises to open up an entirely new world of knowledge for her.
The adventures of a nine-year-old twin brother and sister who, despite constant bickering, support each other loyally at home and at school.
In his letters to his favorite author, ten-year-old Leigh reveals his problems in coping with his parents' divorce, being the new boy in school, and generally finding his own place in the world.
In the sequel to Dear Mr. Henshaw, Leigh tells in a series of diary entries how he comes to terms with his parents' divorce, acquires joint custody of an abandoned dog, and joins the track team at school.
Ellen Tebbits is convinced she'll die of embarrassment if any of the girls at school discover her secret. Then she meets Austine, a new girl who's hiding the very same secret. Ellen quickly learns that embarrassing secrets and pesky troublemakers like Otis Spofford aren't so bad when you have someone special to stick up for you.
Emily is a little girl living on an Oregon farm in the 1920's and her imagination leads her into one misadventure after another.
An alphabet book in which two children demonstrate all the fun that is to be had by making and hearing every kind of noise as they dash about on the farm
