Beverly Cleary
Beverly Cleary (1916–2021) was an American author whose realistic children’s books include the Henry Huggins and Ramona Quimby series.
Henry Huggins: A boy who lives in Portland, Oregon, and stars in a series of children’s novels by Beverly Cleary. Henry’s neighborhood adventures launched Cleary’s first major series.
Children's literature: Literature written for children, including picture books, novels, poetry, and nonfiction. Cleary’s work helped shape modern novels written for independent young readers.
Oregon: A state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States where Beverly Cleary was born and raised. Cleary’s Oregon upbringing supplied settings and experiences for her fiction.
Newbery Medal: An annual American literary award recognizing the most distinguished contribution to children's literature. Cleary received the 1984 medal for Dear Mr. Henshaw.
Ribsy: A dog who appears in Beverly Cleary’s Henry Huggins books and stars in his own novel. Henry’s dog gets a comic adventure of his own in this 1964 book.
Realistic fiction: Fiction depicting plausible events and characters in settings resembling ordinary life. Cleary made family, school, and neighborhood problems compelling without relying on fantasy.
McMinnville, Oregon: A city in Oregon where Beverly Cleary was born in 1916. Cleary’s early life began in this small Willamette Valley community.
National Book Award for Children's Books: A National Book Award category recognizing outstanding books for young readers. Ramona and Her Mother won the 1981 award in the category for children's books.
Ralph S. Mouse: A mouse who rides a toy motorcycle and stars in three Beverly Cleary novels. Ralph extends Cleary’s realistic world into animal-centered adventure.
Portland, Oregon: A city in the Pacific Northwest of the United States and the setting for many Beverly Cleary stories. The Klickitat Street neighborhood drew on the Portland where Cleary grew up.