My favorite books are a constantly changing list, but one favorite has remained constant: the dictionary. Is the word I want to use spelled practice or practise? The dictionary knows. The dictionary also slows down my writing because it is such interesting reading that I am distracted.

Beverly Cleary

Categorized in : Book Writing Reading

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

hope happy children

If you don't see the book you want on the shelves, write it. by Beverly Cleary

If you don't see the book you want on the shelves, write it.

want writing book

Quite often somebody will say, What year do your books take place? and the only answer I can give is, In childhood.

giving book years

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

reading teacher children

One rainy Sunday when I was in the third grade, I picked up a book to look at the pictures and discovered that even though I did not want to, I was reading. I have been a reader ever since.

sunday reading book

Nothing in the whole world felt as good as being able to make som... by Beverly Cleary

Nothing in the whole world felt as good as being able to make something from a sudden idea.

able world ideas

I didn't start out writing to give children hope, but I'm glad so... by Beverly Cleary

I didn't start out writing to give children hope, but I'm glad some of them found it.

writing giving children

She was not a slowpoke grownup. She was a girl who could not wait. Life was so interesting she had to find out what happened next.

girl waiting interesting

As a child, I disliked books in which children learned to be 'bet... by Beverly Cleary

As a child, I disliked books in which children learned to be 'better' children.

children-book book children

I don't necessarily start with the beginning of the book. I just start with the part of the story that's most vivid in my imagination and work forward and backward from there.

imagination stories book

Neither the mouse nor the boy was the least bit surprised that each could understand the other. Two creatures who shared a love for motorcycles naturally spoke the same language.

motorcycle boys two

If we finished our work, the teacher would say, 'Now don't read ahead.' But sometimes I hid the book I was reading behind my geography book and did read ahead. You can hide a lot behind a geography book.

reading teacher book

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.

helping teacher book

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.

reading patience teacher

The key to writing successful YA is to keep the adults out of the... by Beverly Cleary

The key to writing successful YA is to keep the adults out of the story as much as possible.

keys successful writing

I grew up before there were strict leash laws. by Beverly Cleary

I grew up before there were strict leash laws.

strict grew-up law

In seventh grade...I found a place on the [library]shelf where my book would be if I ever wrote a book, which I doubted.

library would-be book

She means well, but she always manages to do the wrong thing. She... by Beverly Cleary

She means well, but she always manages to do the wrong thing. She has a real talent for it.

talent real mean

If she can't spell, why is she a librarian? Librarians should kno... by Beverly Cleary

If she can't spell, why is she a librarian? Librarians should know how to spell.

librarian know-how should

I had a very wise mother. She always kept books that were my grad... by Beverly Cleary

I had a very wise mother. She always kept books that were my grade level in our house.

wise mother book