Cleary also participates in National Drop Everything And Read Day on April 12th, which also happens to be her birthday. It's truly astounding! This, I feel, is exactly why in her years of writing she has accumulated numerous awards (Newbery, Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Award in '84, and many more) and a devoted following of all ages.

Somehow Cleary manages to capture the heart and mind of whomever she is speaking for in her characters.

Her book, Socks was the book that started my reading journey when I was very little. 'To start off I need to just say, I'm a huge fan of Beverly Cleary. Her characters, including Beezus and Ramona Quimby, Henry Huggins, and Ralph, the motorcycle-riding mouse, have delighted children for generations. Henshaw won the Newbery Medal, and Ramona Quimby, Age 8 and Ramona and Her Father have been named Newbery Honor Books. Cleary's books have earned her many prestigious awards, including the American Library Association's Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, presented to her in recognition of her lasting contribution to children's literature. And so, the Klickitat Street gang was born! She based her funny stories on her own neighborhood experiences and the sort of children she knew. When a young boy asked her, 'Where are the books about kids like us?' she remembered her teacher's encouragement and was inspired to write the books she'd longed to read but couldn't find when she was younger. Before long, her school librarian was saying that she should write children's books when she grew up.

But by third grade, after spending much time in her public library in Portland, Oregon, she found her skills had greatly improved. As a child, she struggled with reading and writing. Beverly Cleary is one of America's most beloved authors.

Ramona and her mother