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I am not a pest,” Ramona Quimby told her big sister Beezus.

Beverly Cleary

People are usually surprised to hear this, but I don’t really read children’s books.
BEVERLY CLEARY

Books Children People
What interests me is what children go through while growing up.
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Children Growing Interest
When I was in the first grade I was afraid of the teacher and had a miserable time in the reading circle, a difficulty that was overcome by the loving patience of my second grade teacher. Even though I could read, I refused to do so.
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Patience Reading Teacher
Quite often somebody will say, What year do your books take place? and the only answer I can give is, In childhood.
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Book Giving Years
I had a very wise mother. She always kept books that were my grade level in our house.
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Book Mother Wise
Otis was inspired by a boy who sat across the aisle from me in sixth grade. He was a lively person. My best friend appears in assorted books in various disguises.
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Book Boys Friendship
I was a great reader of fairy tales. I tried to read the entire fairy tale section of the library.
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Fairy Tales Great Library
My mother would read aloud to my father and me in the evening. She read mainly travel books.
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Book Father Mother
Writers are good at plucking out what they need here and there.
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Bedtime Needs Writers
The key to writing successful YA is to keep the adults out of the story as much as possible.
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Keys Successful Writing
Don’t stop now. Go ahead! Be readers all of your lives. And don’t forget, librarians and teachers can help you find the right books to read.
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Book Helping Teacher
I hope children will be happy with the books I’ve written, and go on to be readers all of their lives.
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Children Happy Hope Readers
I was a very observant child. The boys in my books are based on boys in my neighborhood growing up.
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Book Children Grow Up
As a child, I disliked books in which children learned to be ‘better’ children.
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Book Child Children
Nothing in the whole world felt as good as being able to make something from a sudden idea.
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Able Ideas World
We didn’t have television in those days, and many people didn’t even have radios. My mother would read aloud to my father and me in the evening.
BEVERLY CLEARY

Father Mother People

I am not a pest,” Ramona Quimby told her big sister Beezus.

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I am not a pest,” Ramona Quimby told her big sister Beezus.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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