Beverly Clearly (for Beverly Cleary)

Children's author Beverly Cleary is clearly a master of the form. Cleary is seen here strolling through Grant Park in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and fictional handful "Ramona" (the latter in lifelike statuary mode). At 93 years of age, Cleary just signed off on a film adaptation of the book Ramona and Her Father. Cleary is not only an award-winning writer—whose memorable characters include Ramona's older sister Beezus, Henry Huggins and Ribsy, Otis Spofford, and Ellen Tebbitts—but was also a children's librarian who credits her own childhood librarian with instilling in her the desire to both read books and write them. There are three instances of Beverly Clearly in OhioLINK, and six of Cleary + Clearly. I once wrote Beverly Cleary a fan letter and in return she sent me a publisher's brochure listing the titles of all her books and a note saying she was glad I liked them. I wish I still had it. She was my favorite author.

Yours truly,
Carol Reid