beverly_cleary_ca-_1955April 12 is celebrated every year in schools and libraries all over the world as D.E.A.R. Day – Drop Everything and Read! It’s an annual reminder to make reading for fun a priority in our lives!

Why April 12? It’s the birthday of beloved children’s author, Beverly Cleary. You’ll recognize some of her book titles instantly.

Born in 1916, she struggled with reading and writing until she started spending more time at her local public library. When shew grew up, Cleary became a children’s librarian.

When a young boy asked Beverly, “Where are the books about kids like us?”, she was inspired to write funny stories based on her own childhood friends and neighborhood experiences. Her books have won awards such as the Children’s Literature Legacy Award (formerly the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award) for “substantial and lasting contributions to children’s literature” and the Newbery Medal. This April 12, 2020, she will be 104 years old!

So on April 12, make some time to read for at least 30 minutes.

You can find many of Beverly Cleary’s books via Spokane Public Library’s digital downloads. Check for eBooks in Overdrive/Libby, and Open Libraries. Streaming audiobooks for many of her books are available in Hoopla.

Ways to celebrate D.E.A.R. Day:

Read her books, such as:

mouse ramona

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Make Beverly Cleary a birthday card! Mail it to:

Beverly Cleary, HarperCollins Publishers c/o Author mail, 195 Broadway Floor 22, New York, NY 10007

Watch a video about Beverly Cleary.

Learn fun facts about Beverly Cleary.

Design or color a bookmark! Here are some fun ones to try.

(Source for book images: SPL Catalog) (Source for Cleary images: Wikimedia commons)