Flowers for Ramona — Love, Portland. (📸: Cassie Ruud)
Like many, Cleary’s books were a huge part of my childhood — I read them tucked away in libraries, teachers read them aloud to my classes, and Runaway Ralph’s motorcycle adventures captivated my little brother and I before bedtime.
The child characters in her books always felt hyper-realistic and authentic — and most importantly, relatable.
As a fourth grader, I remember reading when Ramona Quimby gets upset at being teased by Mrs. Meacham for her essay’s spelling mistakes (wouldn’t want anyone to think you sat on a “coach” rather than a “couch”) and afterward sees the hypocrisy of a license plate spelled “LIBARY,” and also feeling frustrated with the ridiculousness of the adult world.
Ramona nails it with the line, “She was tired of the rightness of grown-ups,” after she confronts Mrs. Meacham about it and learns the spelling error is because of Oregon’s (at the time) six-letter limit on license plates.
Beverly Cleary’s books let kids be kids, with flaws and silliness and insight, and she treated her characters with a frank level of respect that resonates across generations.
I hope you take some time to stop by the garden and say hello to Ramona, Henry Huggins, and Ribsy, and remember one of Portland’s great authors.
For today’s news: How Portland parents are trying to save the Portland Children’s Museum, the latest on vaccine rollout, remembering a truly great author, where to get some AWESOME PDX burritos, and a hissing good surprise.
Our Bridgeliner Unabridged members are kicking off a new game of I Spy (and it’s a bit of a smokeshow tbh 😉) — Bridgeliner Bragging Rights are on the line. Wanna join the fun? Become a member today.
Let’s go to press.
