Even Beverly Cleary superfans might not know all of these. I didn't!

At mental_floss: 12 Charming Tidbits About Beverly Cleary

There's a lot to love there (I didn't know that she eloped! Or that she wrote Leave it to Beaver tie-ins.), but I especially liked this bit:

WHEN ASKED “WHY DO YOU THINK THAT CHILDREN LOVE RAMONA QUIMBY SO MUCH?” SHE GAVE THIS WONDERFUL ANSWER:

“Because [Ramona] does not learn to be a better girl. I was so annoyed with the books in my childhood, because children always learned to be ‘better’ children and, in my experience, they didn’t. They just grew, and so I started Ramona… and she has never reformed. [She’s] really not a naughty child, in spite of the title Ramona the Pest. Her intentions are good, but she has a lot of imagination, and things sometimes don’t turn out the way she expected.”

I really need to read her memoirs.

Comments

[Jennifer]

I found the most hilarious picture book by Beverly Cleary - "Lucky Chuck". It's about a kid riding his first motorcycle. It doesn't go well. Sadly, I had to delete it and it's out of print, but omg it was hilarious! It's like...Dick and Jane ride a motorcycle. "This is Chuck's motorcycle-driver's license. He earned it by studying the Motor Vehicle Code and passing a driver's test. This is Chuck's mother worrying about Chuck and his motorcycle."

[Leila]

FANTASTIC. (Did you keep the discarded copy, I hope?)

[Jennifer]

*guilty face* yes. I simply couldn't bear to let go of a book that ends "This is Chuck with aching bones, thinking about the wisdom of the Motor Vehicle Code and how much gas he will have to pump to pay his traffic fine."

[Leila]

Oh, good, I'm so relieved. AND JEALOUS!