Tag Archives: Beverly Cleary

Innocence of Childhood

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Courtesy: Amazon

I’ve already told you that my dream would be to a children’s author and that Beverly Cleary is my writing hero. Reading her books is one of my best childhood memories. It was probably my first “chapter book,” and I remember feeling so grown up. At around age seven.

The book I’m going to talk about now was earlier in childhood: The Little House. Mom kept a copy, probably for grandchildren, and I’m looking at it right now. The cover is bent in places and has a large scuff mark, which is a sign of love, as it was passed from me to Sarah, then Kelley.

At the time I was too little young to understand the symbolism, but as the surroundings of this cute cottage were being built up, being surrounded by skyscrapers, I remember feeling a sense of absolute panic. That little house didn’t deserve this! It was such a relief when the sweet house was moved to the country again. It told kids that things would be okay in the end, which is an important lesson to learn at an early age.

Some would call this progress…

It’s simplistic wishing life’s problems could be solved in 40 pages like the little house’s, but hey—aren’t happy endings what childhood should be about?

Image: blog1canoe2.com

My Life by Beverly Cleary

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Courtesy: sfgate.com

I guess my love of writing started with one author, Beverly Cleary, whose books I have fond memories of reading as a kid. Ellen Tebbits and her woolen underwear at ballet class. Then Henry Huggins and his beloved dog, Ribsy. Actually, my dream would be to be a children’s author, and I thank her. She is my writing hero.

What I liked about those books, looking back, is the innocence about her writing. Who, today, would write a story about a pesky kid sister, like in the Ramona books? Now a story can’t just be entertaining; it has to have some lesson, like anti-bullying. I’m against bullies, but why can’t a kid pick up a book for fun?

It would be so flattering if Beverly Cleary wrote my biography!! You know that I’m disabled; I can’t walk, speak through an iPad, and have very little function in my hands that stemmed from an illness at age fourteen. Yes, my life is often very frustrating but I’m an optimist: I don’t know why this happened, but I am so blessed to have friends and family who love me in my current state. I would trust Mrs. Cleary not to focus on the gobblygook of my life, but instead write about the many silver linings my life has.