Quotes by Beverly Cleary

About Beverly Cleary:

Beverly Cleary is an American author of more than 30 books for young adults and children. One of America's most successful writers of children's literature, she has sold 91 million copies of her books worldwide. Some of her best-known characters are Henry Huggins, Ribsy, Beatrice ("Beezus") Quimby, her sister Ramona Quimby, and Ralph S. Mouse. She won the 1981 National Book Award for Ramona and Her Mother and the 1984 Newbery Medal for Dear Mr. Henshaw.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Once more Jane sat staring at the telephone. This time she was filled with a confidence that was new to her. Stan Crandall. Stanley Crandall. He liked her! He had seen her once, and even though had been rumpled and grass-stained and having a terrible...

Beverly Cleary

The humiliation that Jane had felt turned to something else--grief perhaps, or regret. Regret that she had not known how to act with a boy, regret that she had not been wiser.

Beverly Cleary

Tiddlywinks, tiddlywinks, I want to play tiddlywinks," chanted Ramona, shaking her head back and forth.

Beverly Cleary

If she can't spell, why is she a librarian? Librarians should know how to spell.

Beverly Cleary

I guess that’s what growing up is. Saying good-by to a lot of things. Sometimes it is easy and sometimes it isn’t. But it is all right.

Beverly Cleary

I think the best teachers had a real interest in the subject they were teaching and a love for children.

Beverly Cleary

Otis was inspired by a boy who sat across the aisle from me in sixth grade. He was a lively person. My best friend appears in assorted books in various disguises.

Beverly Cleary

I think the best teachers had a real interest in the subject they were teaching and a love for children. Some of the teachers were just doing their job, but others had that little extra. They really cared about children and they wore pretty dresses.

Beverly Cleary

Novels by British writers are among my favorites because our family has enjoyed travel in England and because they are written with an economy of words as if they were written with a pen instead of a computer. Penelope Fitzgerald is a favorite.

Beverly Cleary

With twins, reading aloud to them was the only chance I could get to sit down. I read them picture books until they were reading on their own.

Beverly Cleary

I didn't start out writing to give children hope, but I'm glad some of them found it.

Beverly Cleary

I hope children will be happy with the books I've written, and go on to be readers all of their lives.

Beverly Cleary

I don't necessarily start with the beginning of the book. I just start with the part of the story that's most vivid in my imagination and work forward and backward from there.

Beverly Cleary

I was a great reader of fairy tales. I tried to read the entire fairy tale section of the library.

Beverly Cleary

Writers are good at plucking out what they need here and there.

Beverly Cleary

I particularly enjoy cello music because our daughter plays the cello. I have listened to her practice for so many hours that I am familiar with the music written for that instrument. I am also fond of the popular music of the 1930s because my future...

Beverly Cleary

I longed for funny stories about the sort of children who lived in my neighborhood.

Beverly Cleary

I like to read, walk, cook, and travel to cities. We live in the country, so we miss museums and the bustle of city life.

Beverly Cleary

I write in longhand on yellow legal pads.

Beverly Cleary

I know that when I was a children's librarian, that was about 1940, boys particularly asked where were the books about kids like us, and there weren't any at that time.

Beverly Cleary

Author Bio

  • NameBeverly Cleary
  • DescriptionAmerican writer of children's books
  • BornApril 12, 1916
  • CountryUnited States Of America
  • ProfessionWriter; Children's Writer; Autobiographer
  • WorksRamona; The Mouse And The Motorcycle; Dear Mr. Henshaw
  • AwardsNational Medal Of Arts; Newbery Medal