Top 50 Quotes by Beverly Cleary

I was an only child; I didn't have a sister, or sisters.

Ramona was originally an accidental character I added to the Henry Huggins books because I noticed that none of the characters had siblings. I added Ramona as Beazus' pestering little sister.

Children should learn that reading is pleasure, not just something that teachers make you do in school.

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.

Children want to do what grownups do.

I hope children will be happy with the books I've written, and go on to be readers all of their lives.

I longed for funny stories about the sort of children who lived in my neighborhood.

I just wrote about childhood as I had known it.

I know that when I was a children's librarian, that was about 1940, boys particularly asked where were the books about kids like us, and there weren't any at that time.

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