Beverly Cleary Books Quotations

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.

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.

I'm very surprised at the high number of boys who have written to say that reading my books was hard work but worth it. I have many loyal boy readers.

I wrote books to entertain. I'm not trying to teach anything! If I suspected the author was trying to show me how to be a better behaved girl, I shut the book.

My books take place in a very specific neighborhood in Portland, Oregon. It must be the most stable neighborhood in the United States.