Beverly Cleary's 'Forbidden' Private Life Comes Out Shortly After Her Passing
"Beverly Cleary was funny in a very sophisticated way, she got very close to satire." literary critic Roger Sutton wrote for The Horn Book Magazine. Of course, those who knew the almost 105-year-old Beverly Clearly were never surprised to see this tone creep into her writing: she spent her entire childhood proving she knew what was best for herself. She engaged in several heated disputes throughout her life that her publicists worked hard to keep private until now.
For The Children
Throughout her time as a librarian in Yakima, Washington, Beverly enjoyed introducing children to new books. She knew it was her responsibility to make sure kids could get their hands on stories that inspired their imaginations, but not every child was happy with her recommendations; in fact, one kid complained to her face — and changed her life.
Disappointing Reads
This kid wasn't like most Beverly saw poking around the library: he was angry. He approached her and very rudely, according to the story, asked her "Where are the books about kids like us?" Us, in this context, meant young, lower-class kids living through the Great Depression. The question caught Beverly off guard.
Different Perspective
Because most children's books at that time were originally from England, they usually featured families lower-class Americans couldn't relate to: well-to-do kids in big mansions with nannies and butlers. It was a different way of life, which made it hard for many children to be fully invested in these books. Beverly sought to change that.
Inside the Mind
As the professor of children's lit at West Chester University, Pat Pflieger said of Cleary's future catalog, which included hits like the Ramona Quimby series: "Cleary's books have lasted because she understands her audience. She knows they're sometimes confused or frightened by the world around them, and that they feel deeply about things that adults can dismiss." She did this by drawing from her own life.
