Author Beverly Cleary’s works are beloved by generations of young children, many of whom are now adults, and her stories are just as good today as they were when she wrote them long ago. You may already know that Mrs. Cleary is from Oregon; she is one of the most celebrated and famous people from Oregon. However, you may not know where she was born and where she grew up. She is a small town girl who went on to become internationally famous! Read on to learn more about her, her books, and her childhood in Oregon.
Beverly Cleary's first book was published in 1950. Since then, over 91 million copies of her books have been sold worldwide. She wrote and published 49 books overall.
Beverly Cleary's most famous books include eight about a character named Ramona Quimby, six about a character named Henry Huggins, and three about a mouse who rides a motorcycle.
She wrote many more as well though, including 13 standalone novels, a short story collection, six picture books, two memoirs, and still many others beyond those. She was prolific and creative and amazing; her books have touched the lives of many and continue to make memorable impressions on those who read them.
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She is celebrated in Portland where she spent most of her life. The Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden in Grant Park features sculptures of a few of her most famous characters and a fountain where kids love to play.
When she was six years old, Beverly Cleary's family moved to Portland. For her elementary and secondary school years, she lived in the Grant Park neighborhood, and many of her books are set there.
She was born in McMinnville likely because that's where the closest hospital was to her home when she was born in 1916. She spent the first six years of her life living on a farm outside of nearby Yamhill.
One of Beverly Cleary's memoirs, "A Girl from Yamhill," reflects on the author's time in this small town, onward into her young adulthood in Portland. It's one of her few non-fiction offerings. Any Oregonian will love it!
Beverly Cleary was and is a national treasure and we are not only lucky to have many of her amazing books to remember her by, but we are also lucky to be able to claim her as an Oregon native! Now, go read (or re-read) one of her books. Even as an adult, you’re sure to find them entertaining and enjoyable.
