Basic Information

Beverly Cleary photo from www.beverlycleary.com

The purpose of this pathfinder is to provide information on beloved children’s author, Beverly Cleary. Because Beverly Cleary wrote for children it is only appropriate for this pathfinder to include children as a target audience though older children, teens, and adults may enjoy learning about the author as well.

Most resources included will be appropriate for children or tweens, ages 6 to 12, though some resources might be written for an older audience. Likewise, some resources may be more academic but still provide appropriate information.

Beverly Cleary was one of my favorite authors growing up. Who can’t relate to the predicaments of Ramona Quimby or Henry Huggins? With Mrs. Cleary’s recent passing and the anniversary of her birthday in the past week, it felt appropriate to create a pathfinder for this author. Due to Mrs. Cleary’s prolific career, reputable sources for the intended audience were relatively abundant. Some information is repeated within the resources creating cross-reference of the information reassuring the user that the resource is factual.

This pathfinder is designed, created, and researched by Rachael Sullivan, a Children and Youth Services Librarian and an MLIS graduate student at the University of Southern Mississippi. Inquiries should be sent to rachael.sullivan@usm.edu.

Online Resources

Sculpture of Ramona from www.oregonencyclopedia.org

 

Journal Articles

This article provides biographical information on the author’s life and includes a bibliography of her other works, websites, lesson plans and activities, and relating materials.
Brodie, C. S. (2005). Author! Author! Beverly Cleary. School Library Media Activities Monthly, 21(8), 43–45.

A scholarly article relating to the social narrative of Ramona Quimby, how she acts and interacts with her society while relating to a current society.
Mackey, M. (1991). Ramona the Chronotope: The Young Reader and Social Theories of Narrative. Children’s Literature in Education, 22(2), 97–110. 

Reiterates ideas of Beverly Cleary that children will read and be encouraged to read when materials are interesting rather than “boring” books provided by adults.
Cleary, B. (1982). The Laughter of Children. Horn Book Magazine, 58(5), 555–564.

This short article provides adventure discovering the physical setting of many Ramona and related titles. The fictional backdrops are gleaned from real places in Oregon.
Gibbens, I. (1999). In search of Klickitat. Reading Teacher, 52(8), 819.

An article for older audiences providing a relational comparison of the lessons learned by Ramona to lessons learned by children in school and society settings.
Benson, L. (1999). The Hidden Curriculum and the Child’s New Discourse: Beverly Cleary’s Ramona Goes to School. Children’s Literature in Education, 30(1), 9–29. https://doi-org.lynx.lib.usm.edu/10.1023/A:1022477517959

Ribsy sculpture from www.oregonencyclopedia.org

Websites

Beverlycleary.com is the official website of the author. The website contains information such as an about the author section, information for educators and librarians, books, characters, and games.
The World of Beverly Cleary. (n.d.). Retrieved April 17, 2021, from https://www.beverlycleary.com/

Readingrockets.org includes an interview with Beverly Cleary on their website. More information about Beverly available by entering the name in the search bar feature. An interview with Beverly Cleary. (2016, April 07). Retrieved April 17, 2021, from https://www.readingrockets.org/books/interviews/cleary

www.oregonencyclopedia.org Beverly Cleary's characters are memorialized in their own sculpture garden at Grant Park in Oregon. The three sculptures are Ramona Quimby, Henry Huggins, and Ribsy.
Kimmel, D. (2021, February 03). Beverly cleary sculpture garden. Retrieved April 18, 2021, from https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/beverly_cleary_sculpture_garden/#.YHx5jMbYqEs

eReference Books

Ramona's world and Klickitat St. sketch from www.beverlycleary.com

eReference Books 

Continuum Encyclopedia of Children's Literature This article provides information on Beverly Cleary’s life. This entry includes how her own childhood and experiences with her children helped to influence her writing. E.Cullinan, B. (2005). Cleary, Beverly. In B. E. Cullinan, & D. G. Person (Eds.), Continuum encyclopedia of children's literature. Continuum. Credo Reference: http://lynx.lib.usm.edu/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/kidlit/cleary_beverly/0?institutionId=3440

The Oxford Companion to Children's Literature

The focus of this entry is Beverly Cleary as a writer. The entry spotlights Cleary's first book, Henry Huggins, and includes other titles as well.
Cleary, Beverly (1916--). (2015). In D. Hahn (Ed.), The Oxford companion to children's literature (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press, Inc. Credo Reference: http://lynx.lib.usm.edu/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/oupocl/cleary_beverly_1916/0?institutionId=3440

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia
A summary of Mrs. Cleary’s work from being a librarian to writing her first novel and 40 other children’s titles. Her memoirs are also listed.
Infoplease. (n.d.). Retrieved April 17, 2021, from https://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/arts/english-lit/american-bios/cleary-beverly

Henry Huggins sculpture from www.oregonencyclopedia.org

Print Reference Books

Just like Beverly

Just like Beverly, a picture book biography of Beverly Cleary’s life, perfect for the young reader, includes basic information about her childhood and becoming an author.
Conrad, V., & Hohn, D. (2019). Just like Beverly. Seattle, WA: Little Bigfoot, an imprint of Sasquatch Books.

Beverly Cleary

Beverly Cleary, by Jennifer Peltak, provides greater detail and insight into Mrs. Cleary’s life and includes relevant historical events that occurred simultaneously. Some pictures included.
Peltak, J. (2005). Beverly Cleary. Philadelphia, PA: Chelsea House.

A Girl from Yamhill This account provided by Beverly is written to be read as if it were a story instead of a recounting of facts of one's life.

Cleary, B. (1988). A Girl from Yamhill: A Memoir. New York, NY: Morrow.

Databases

Biography in Context

Biography in Context by Gale reinforces the information found in various resources. This detailed summary includes detailed descriptions of the characters in the books.
Beverly Cleary. (2002). In Encyclopedia of World Biography Online (Vol. 22). Gale. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/K1631007926/BIC?u=lfpl&sid=BIC&xid=9bf6073f

Children's Literature Comprehensive Database

CLCD is for an older user allowing many variables for performing searches. An inquiry listed all works by and about the author and her characters.

Children's Literature Comprehensive Database. (n.d.). Retrieved April 18, 2021, from http://www.clcd.com.lynx.lib.usm.edu/#/display/1