Beverly Cleary (1916–2021)

Author of The Mouse and the Motorcycle

178+ Works 131,402 Members 1,360 Reviews 86 Favorited

About the Author

Beverly Cleary was born on April 12, 1916. Her family lived on a small farm in McMinnville, Oregon, before moving to Portland. Ironically, this internationally known author of children's books struggled to learn how to read when she entered school. Before long however Cleary had learned to love show more books, and as a child she spent a good deal of her time in the public library. Cleary attended Chaffey Junior College in Ontario, Ca. and went on to earned her first B.A. in 1938 from the University of California at Berkeley. Her second degree, a B.A. in library science, was bestowed by the University of Washington in Seattle in 1939. She worked for a short time as Children's Librarian in Yakima, Washington, before moving to California. Cleary began her writing career in her early thirties. Her first book, Henry Huggins, was published in 1950. Her stories and especially her characters, Henry Huggins and Ramona Quimby, have proven popular with young readers. Her books have been translated into twenty languages and are available in over twenty countries. Some of her best-known titles are Ellen Tebbits (1951), Henry and the Paper Route (1957), Runaway Ralph (1970), and Dear Mr. Henshaw (1983). Several television programs have been produced from the Henry Huggins and Ramona stories. She also wrote two memoirs, A Girl from Yamhill (1988) and My Own Two Feet (1995). Cleary has won many awards for her contributions to children's literature, including the American Library Association's Laura Ingalls Wilder Award in 1975, the Catholic Library Association's Regina Medal in 1980, the John Newbery Medal in 1984 and the National Medal of Arts in 2003. Beverly Cleary died on March 25, 2021 in Carmel, California. She was 104 year old. (Bowker Author Biography) show less

Includes the names: Bvrly Clary, BEVERLY CLARY, Beverly Clery, Beverly Ceary, Beveny Cleary, Bevery Cleary, Beverly Claery, Beverly Cleary, BEVERLY CEARLY, Bererly Cleary, Beverley Cleary, Beaverly Cleary, Beverly Clearly, Beverly Clearly, Beverely Clearly, By Beverly Cleary, Beverly ?Beverly Cleary Cleary, Beverly (Author) on Sep-01-1951 Hardcover Ellen Tebbits (Reillustrated) ELLEN TEBBITS (REILLUSTRATED) by Cleary

Also includes: beverly-1 (1)

Image credit: Beverly Cleary https://www.beverlycleary.com/

Series

Beverly Cleary's Memoirs

Works by Beverly Cleary

Popular Recent

The Mouse and the Motorcycle (1965) 10,775 copies

Ramona Quimby, Age 8 (1981) 9,264 copies

Dear Mr. Henshaw (1983) 8,109 copies

Ramona the Pest (1968) 7,781 copies

Ralph S. Mouse (1982) 7,346 copies

Beezus and Ramona (1955) 6,860 copies

Ramona and Her Father (1977) 6,846 copies

Runaway Ralph (1970) 6,412 copies

Ramona the Brave (1975) 5,991 copies

Henry Huggins (1950) 5,512 copies

Ramona and Her Mother (1979) 5,312 copies

Ramona Forever (1984) 5,257 copies

Socks (1973) 4,550 copies

Henry and Ribsy (1954) 3,953 copies

Ribsy (1964) 3,647 copies

Ramona's World (1999) 3,079 copies

Muggie Maggie (1990) 3,012 copies

Henry and Beezus (1952) 3,012 copies

Strider (1991) 2,707 copies

Ellen Tebbits (1951) 2,544 copies

Emily's Runaway Imagination (1961) 2,516 copies

Henry and the Paper Route (1957) 2,448 copies

Henry and the Clubhouse (1962) 2,379 copies

Otis Spofford (1953) 1,547 copies

Mitch and Amy (1967) 1,243 copies

Beezus and Ramona 1,133 copies

Fifteen (1956) 851 copies

A Girl From Yamhill: A Memoir (1988) 820 copies

Two Times the Fun (2005) 711 copies

The Luckiest Girl (1958) 675 copies

Ramona's World (2001) 658 copies

Sister of the Bride (1963) 545 copies

Jean and Johnny (1959) 477 copies

Beezus and Ramona / Ramona and Her Father / Ramona the Brave / Ramona the Pest (2003) 370 copies

My Own Two Feet: A Memoir (1995) 362 copies

It's Great To Be Eight (1997) 272 copies

The Mouse and the Motorcycle / Ralph S. Mouse / Runaway Ralph (2006) 255 copies

Two Dog Biscuits (1960) 201 copies

The Complete 8-Book Ramona Collection: Beezus and Ramona, Ramona and Her Father, Ramona and Her Mother, Ramona Quimby,… (2006) 198 copies

The Real Hole (1960) — Author — 191 copies

Ramona and Her Mother / Ramona Forever / Ramona Quimby, Age 8 / Ramona's World (2000) 154 copies

The Growing-Up Feet (1987) 138 copies

Janet's Thingamajigs (1987) 130 copies

The Hullabaloo ABC (1960) 101 copies

Lucky Chuck (1984) 75 copies

Petey's Bedtime Story (1993) 70 copies

Beezus and Ramona / Ramona the Pest 60 copies

The World of Beverly Cleary Collection - 15 Book Ultimate Boxed Set! Ramona and More! (Beverly Cleary) (2010) 54 copies

Henry and Ramona (1997) 49 copies

Beezus and Ramona / Ramona Quimby, Age 8 / Ramona the Brave / Ramona the Pest (1999) 43 copies

The Henry and Ribsy Box Set: Henry Huggins, Henry and Ribsy, Ribsy (1900) 41 copies

The Mouse and the Motorcycle [1986 TV movie] (1986) — Author — 37 copies

Ramona Forever / Ramona the Pest (2007) 33 copies

Leave It to Beaver (1960) 30 copies

The Ralph S. Mouse Audio Collection (2011) 30 copies

The world of BEVERLY CLEARY, 15 Amazing Stories Inside! (2017) 24 copies

Runaway Ralph [1988 TV episode] (1988) — Author — 23 copies

Henry Huggins Boxed Set (1993) 23 copies

Ramona Quimby, Age 8 / Ramona the Brave (2007) 21 copies

Beezus and Ramona / Ramona and Her Father (2007) 18 copies

Fifteen / Jean and Johnny / The Luckiest Girl (2001) 17 copies

Beaver and Wally (1961) 17 copies

Here's Beaver! (1961) 17 copies

Ramona the Brave / Ramona and her Father / Henry and the Paper Route / Henry and the Clubhouse (1995) 16 copies

Ramona Forever, Ramona's World, Ramona and Her Father, Beezus and Ramona, Henry and Ribsy, Henry Huggins,… 15 copies

The Ramona Quimby Diary (1984) 14 copies

Ralph S. Mouse: A Read-a-Long DVD (2007) 14 copies

Here Come the Twins (1989) 13 copies

Ramona Forever, Ramona's World, Ramona and Her Father, Beezus and Ramona, Henry and Ribsy, Henry Huggins, Emily's… 13 copies

The Ramona Quimby Audio Collection (2011) 11 copies

The Henry Huggins Audio Collection (2011) 11 copies

Just for Me: My Ramona Quimby Journal (2013) 10 copies

The Henry Huggins Audio Collection — Author — 10 copies

The Trouble with Ramona and Beezus (2010) 10 copies

Beverly Cleary's Ramona (1985) 10 copies

Beezus and Ramona / Ramona the Pest / Ramona the Brave (2002) 9 copies

The Beverly Cleary Audio Collection (2011) — Author — 9 copies

Socks [PB,1990] 9 copies

Ribsy and the P.T.A. (1963) 8 copies

The Beezus and Ramona Diary (1986) 8 copies

The World of Beverly Cleary (2022) 7 copies

Ramona Quimby, Age 8 (Scholastic Book Guides) (2003) 6 copies

Henry Huggins / Henry and Beezus / Henry and Ribsy / Henry and the Clubhouse (1990) 6 copies

The Unstoppable Ramona and Beezus (2010) 6 copies

The Newbery Award Library: Island of the Blue Dolphins/the Witch of Blackbird Pond/the Sign of the Beaver/One-Eyed… (1990) 6 copies

Henry Huggins 4-Book Collection: Henry Huggins, Ribsy, Henry and Beezus, Henry and Ribsy (2014) 5 copies

Emily's Runaway Imagination / Mitch and Amy / Muggie Maggie / Socks (1991) 5 copies

HENRY HUGGINS BOXED SET 5 BOOKS (1982) 5 copies

Beezus and Ramona / Henry and Beezus / Henry and Ribsy / Ramona and Her Mother (1980) 4 copies

Henry Huggins Series, 6-Book Set 4 copies

The Mouse and the Motorcycle / Ralph S. Mouse / Runaway Ralph / Strider (1994) 4 copies

The 5 Book Ramona Collection: Beezus and Ramona, Ramona and Her Father, Ramona and Her Mother, Ramona Quimby, Age 8,… 3 copies

Ralph S. Mouse [Hardcover] [2006] (Author) Beverly Cleary, Paul O. Zelinsky 3 copies

Beverly Cleary Collection: Ramona The Brave, Ramona and her Father, Ramona and her Mother, Otis Spofford, Mitch and… 3 copies

Dear Mr. Henshaw (Avon Camelot Books (Pb)) by Beverly Cleary (1-Jun-2000) Perfect Paperback 3 copies

Dear Mr. Henshaw (Scholastic Book Guides) (2003) 3 copies

Ralph S. Mouse by Beverly Cleary [Educational] (1987) 3 copies

Ramona and Her Mother / Ramona the Brave / Ramona the Pest / Ramona Quimby, Age 8 (1991) 3 copies

Beezus and Ramona / The Mouse and the Motorcycle / Ramona and her Father / Ramona and her Mother (1990) 3 copies

Ramona and her Mother / Ramona Forever / Ramona Quimby, Age 8 / Ramona the Brave / Ramona the Pest 3 copies

Beezus and Ramona / Henry and Beezus / Henry Huggins / Ramona and Her Father / Ramona and Her Mother / Ramona Quimby,… 3 copies

Beverly Cleary: 10 Book Set 2 copies

Ramona 3-Book Collection: Ramona the Pest, Beezus and Ramona, Ramona the Brave 2 copies

Set 17 ~ Beezus Ramona, Dear Mr. Henshaw, Henry Huggins, Ralph S. Mouse, Ramona Brave, Ramona Father, Quimby Age 8,… 2 copies

Ramona Quimby, Age 8 / Ramona the Brave / Ramona and Her Mother / Ramona and Her Father (2000) 2 copies

Time Out for Books Guide - Mouse and the Motorcycle and Charlotte's Web 2 copies

Stories about Ralph S. Mouse [movie] (2004) 2 copies

Ramona Forever, Ramona's World, Ramona and Her Father, Beezus and Ramona, Henry and Ribsy, Henry Huggins,… 2 copies

Ramona Quimby Series (1996) 2 copies

Ellen Tebbits / Henry and the Clubhouse / Henry Huggins / Ramona and Her Father (1979) 2 copies

The Ramona Collection Volume 2( Ramona and Her Mother; Ramona Quimby Age 8; Ramona Forever; Ramona's World)[RAMONA… (2013) 2 copies

Ramona's World[RAMONAS WORLD][Paperback] 2 copies

Henry Huggins / Henry and Ribsy / Henry and the Paper Route / Henry and the Clubhouse 2 copies

Ribsy Goes to School (1972) 2 copies

Ralph S. Mouse -- Runaway Ralph -- Otis Spofford, 3 Vols. Set (Assorted Volumes) (1963) 2 copies

Ramona the Pest ~ Beezus and Ramona ~ Socks ~ Ribsy: 4 Book Set (Ramona Quimby) (1990) 2 copies

The Twins Again (1989) 2 copies

Beverly Cleary 8 book Ramona set: Beezus and Ramona, Ramona the Pest, Ramona the Brave, Ramona and Her Father, Ramona… (1740) 2 copies

Cutting Up with Ramona Paper Dolls (1983) 2 copies

Ellen Tebbits (Ellen & Otis 1) 2 copies

Ramona Quimby, America's Favorite 5 Box Set: Ramona and Her Mother; Ramona and Her Father; Ramona the Pest; Ramona… (1988) 2 copies

Ramona Quimbly Age 8 1 copy

3rd Grade Series Mix (5) : My Last Best Friend; Otherwise Known As Sheilia the Great; Dear Dumb Diary; American Girl… 1 copy

The World of Beverly Cleary 4-Book Collection: Henry Huggins, Ramona the Pest, The Mouse and the Motorcycle, Socks 1 copy

Beverly Cleary Set 1 (Henry and the Paper Route, Henry and Ribsy, The Mouse and the Motorcycle, Strider) 1 copy

Ramona and her Father / Ramona and her Mother / Ramona Quimby, Age 8 / Ramona the Pest 1 copy

Ramona and Her Father / Ramona Quimby, Age 8 / Ramona the Pest 1 copy

Henry Huggins Boxed Set: Henry Huggins/Henry and the Clubhouse/Ribsy 1 copy

Ellen Tebbits / Emily's Runaway Imagination / Mitch and Amy 1 copy

Dear Mr. Henshaw / Strider 1 copy

Henry Uhggins 1 copy

Ralph S. Mouse Audio Collection {Audiobook} 1 copy

Henry and the Purple Crayon 1 copy

Meet Ramona Quimby! (Ramona Quimby, Age 8; Ramona and Her Mother; Ramona the Pes (1985) 1 copy

Ruf doch an, Papa! 1 copy

Und mittendrin Ramona (2004) 1 copy

Henry Huggina 1 copy

Beezus and Ramona / Ramona and Her Father / Ramona and Her Mother 1 copy

Mitch and Amy[MITCH & AMY][Paperback] 1 copy

Beverly Cleary — Author — 1 copy

Ramona Forever / Ramona Quimby, Age 8 / Ramona the Brave / Ramona the Pest 1 copy

Ramona Quimby, Age 8 1 copy

Ramona and her mother 1 copy

Muggie Maggie 1 copy

Henry and Beezua 1 copy

Socks 1 copy

Henry Huggins 1 copy

Socks[SOCKS REILLUSTRATED/E][Hardcover] 1 copy

Renate fällt etwas ein 1 copy

Henry and Ribsy / Henry and the Clubhouse / Mitch and Amy / Ralph S. Mouse / Ribsy 1 copy

Ramona's World (Ramona Series) — Author — 1 copy

Garde Conjointe (1993) 1 copy

Henry Huggins Complete Collection (Henry Huggins #1-6) 1 copy

Muggie Maggie Guided Reading Classroom Set (2000) 1 copy

Beverly Cleary (Set of 4) Ramona the Brave; Ramona and Her Father; Ramona Quinby, Age 8; Ramona Forever (2006) 1 copy

Ramonanin Dünyasi (2005) 1 copy

Tricks Animals Play 1 copy

Emily's Runaway Imagination — Author — 1 copy

Henry og avisjobben (1972) 1 copy

Henry Huggins (Morrow Junior Books) (Hardback) - Common 1 copy

Henry Huggins Is Klickitat Street Ready for Henry and Risby 1 copy

Assorted Ramona and Henry and Beezus 1 copy

Beezus e Ramona. Esta Caçula É Uma Pestinha (2010) 1 copy

By Beverly Cleary - Emily's Runaway Imagination (Rep Ill) (2009-01-14) [Paperback] 1 copy

Lucky Chucky 1 copy

Ralph S. Mouse ~ Guided Reading Classroom Set (1983) 1 copy

Muggie Maggie Teacher Guide Literature Book (2019) 1 copy

Literature In Teaching - LIT Guide: Dear Mr. Henshaw 1 copy

Romona and Her Father 1 copy

Ramona and Her Brother 1 copy

Beverly Cleary Try Our Large Economy Size 1 copy

Henry Huggins / Henry and Beezus / Henry and Ribsy / Henry and the Paper Route (1992) 1 copy

The World of Beverly Cleary Collection - 15 Volume Boxed Set by Beverly Cleary (January 19,2013) 1 copy

GF SUCCESS IN MATH: GENERAL MATH SE 97C. (GLOBE SUCCESS IN MATH) (1997) 1 copy

By Beverly Cleary Ramona Forever, Ramona's World, Ramona and Her Father, Beezus and Ramona, Henry and Ribsy, Henry Hug (1905) 1 copy

Beezus and Ramona -- Henry and the Paper Route -- Emily's Runaway Imagination, 3 Vols. Set (Assorted Volumes) (1985) 1 copy

Beverly Cleary 5 Book Set (Beezus and Ramona, Socks, Ralph S. Mouse, Runaway Ralph, and The Mouse and the Motorcycle) (2008) 1 copy

Work Explorer

Associated Works

Heidi (1880) — Foreword, some editions — 10,406 copies

School's In! (1997) — Contributor — 349 copies

A Newbery Christmas (1991) — Contributor — 294 copies

The Family Read-Aloud Christmas Treasury (1989) — Contributor — 281 copies

It's Heaven To Be Seven (2000) — Contributor — 202 copies

The Young Folks' Shelf of Books, Volume 05: In Your Own Backyard (1962) — Contributor — 172 copies

A Newbery Halloween (1991) — Contributor — 155 copies

It's Fine To Be Nine (2000) — Contributor — 123 copies

Ramona and Beezus [2010 film] (2010) — Original book — 116 copies

The Graphic Canon of Children's Literature: The World's Greatest Kids' Lit as Comics and Visuals (2014) — Contributor — 90 copies

Best in Children's Books 35 (1960) 75 copies

Funny Business: Conversations with Writers of Comedy (2009) — Contributor — 71 copies

Best in Children's Books 26 (1959) 70 copies

It's Terrific to Be Ten (2000) — Contributor — 49 copies

A Newbery Zoo: A dozen animal stories by Newbery Award-winning authors (1995) — Contributor — 32 copies

Treasure Island Trek; Children's Author & Illustrator Festival Saturday Oct, 18, 1969 — Contributor, some editions — 1 copy

Tagged

adventure (458) animals (705) Beverly Cleary (1,827) chapter (297) chapter book (2,320) Chapter Book Series (580) children (1,676) children's (2,921) children's books (463) children's fiction (868) children's literature (1,185) classic (565) classics (552) Cleary (570) dogs (479) family (1,360) fantasy (470) fiction (7,133) friendship (537) humor (1,147) juvenile (799) juvenile fiction (729) kids (433) Level O (550) mice (404) middle grade (376) Newbery Honor (330) novel (446) O (528) own (335) Ramona (759) read (670) realistic fiction (1,997) school (598) series (1,337) siblings (367) sisters (323) Switzerland (294) to-read (713) young adult (646)

Common Knowledge

Canonical name: Cleary, Beverly
Legal name: Cleary, Beverly Atlee Bunn
Other names: Bunn, Beverly Atlee (birth)
Birthdate: 1916-04-12
Date of death: 2021-03-25
Burial location: Pike Cemetery, Yamhill, Oregon, USA
Gender: female
Nationality: USA
Birthplace: McMinnville, Oregon, USA
Place of death: Carmel, California, USA
Cause of death: Cleary died at her retirement home in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, at the age of 104.
Places of residence: Portland, Oregon, USA
Seattle, Washington, USA
Oakland, California, USA
Yamhill, Oregon, USA
Carmel Valley, California, USA
Education: Chaffey College (AA)
University of Washington (Librarianship|1939)
University of California, Berkeley (BA|English|1938)
Occupations: librarian
children's book author
Awards and honors: National Book Award (1981)
Newbery Medal (1984)
Library of Congress Living Legends Award for writers and artists (2000)
Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal (1975)
National Medal of Arts (2003)
Robert Kirsch Award (2010) (show all 10)
Regina Medal (1980)
Hans Christian Andersen Award (1984)
Univ. of Washington, Information School, Beverly Cleary Endowed Chair for Children and Youth Services
Alumnus Summa Laude Dignatus Award, University of Washington

Members

Discussions

Best of Beverly Cleary? help in Children's Fiction (June 2017)

Beverly Cleary is Almost 100! in Tattered but still lovely (April 2016)

YA written in 50's/60's, teen girl lives with family friends during school yr in CA in Name that Book (July 2015)

Ya fiction from 70s or 80s jane falls in love with popular boy Johnny in Name that Book (April 2014)

Reviews

Socks by Beverly Cleary

Such a cute read, even more fun now that I have a cat of my own

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johanna.florez21 | 30 other reviews | May 27, 2024 |

Ramona the Brave (#3) by Beverly Cleary

The summer before first grade sure isn't an easy one for Ramona. There are a lot of changes going on at the Quimby house and Ramona's not sure she likes them one bit. She has a new bedroom that terrifies her, and she's positive that something is hiding under her bed. And to make matters worse, her mother gets a job to help pay for the new bedroom. Ramona sure misses her and the cookies she used to bake. School finally starts and Ramona realizes the first grade is not for cowards.

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PlumfieldCH | 49 other reviews | May 7, 2024 |

Ralph S. Mouse: Runaway Ralph (#2) by Beverly Cleary

Fed up with his timid mother and uncle and his squirmy little cousins, Ralph hops onto his toy motorcycle and zooms down the road to summer camp. It turns out camp is not all peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and fun. A strict watchdog, a mouse-hungry cat, and a troubled boy named Garf lead Ralph on some fur-raising escapades. Perhaps home isn't such a bad place to be, if only Ralph can find a way to get there again.

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PlumfieldCH | 30 other reviews | May 7, 2024 |

Ralph S. Mouse (#3) by Beverly Cleary

With his rowdy cousins constantly wearing out his motorcycle and the Mountain View Inn manager threatening to take care of the mouse infestation once and for all, Ralph decides it's time to get away for a while. He convinces his human friend Ryan to take him along to school, where Ralph instantly becomes the center of attention.

But when Ryan's class decides to see how smart Ralph is by making him run a maze, the usually confident mouse starts to fret. What if he's not as clever as he thought?… (more)

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PlumfieldCH | 34 other reviews | May 7, 2024 |

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