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
Ramona was originally an accidental character I added to the Henry Huggins books because I noticed that none of the characters had siblings. I added Ramona as Beazus’ pestering little sister. – Beverly Cleary
I was a great reader of fairy tales. I tried to read the entire fairy tale section of the library. – 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
I had a very wise mother. She always kept books that were my grade level in our house. – 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 think children themselves have changed that much. It’s the world that has changed. – Beverly Cleary
Quite often somebody will say, What year do your books take place? and the only answer I can give is, In childhood. – 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 husband and I danced to it so many Saturday nights when we were in college. – Beverly Cleary
I didn’t start out writing to give children hope, but I’m glad some of them found it. – Beverly Cleary
One rainy Sunday when I was in the third grade, I picked up a book to look at the pictures and discovered that even though I did not want to, I was reading. I have been a reader ever since. – 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
In 50 years, the world has changed, especially for kids, but kids’ needs haven’t changed. They still need to feel safe, be close to their families, like their teachers, and have friends to play with. – Beverly Cleary
Children should learn that reading is pleasure, not just something that teachers make you do in school. – Beverly Cleary
I think the best teachers had a real interest in the subject they were teaching and a love for children. – Beverly Cleary
In my grammar school years back in the 1920s I used my ten-cents-a-week allowance for Saturday matinees of Douglas Fairbanks movies. All that swashbuckling and leaping about in the midst of the sails of ships! – Beverly Cleary
My mother always kept library books in the house, and one rainy Sunday afternoon – this was before television, and we didn’t even have a radio – I picked up a book to look at the pictures and discovered I was reading and enjoying what I read. – Beverly Cleary
I was a very observant child. The boys in my books are based on boys in my neighborhood growing up. – Beverly Cleary
I don’t think children’s inner feelings have changed. They still want a mother and father in the very same house; they want places to play. – Beverly Cleary
