Beverly Cleary, Beloved Children’s Book Author, Dead at 104

Beloved children’s book author, Beverly Cleary, has died at the age of 104. The sad news was confirmed when the publishing company Harper’s Collins made the announcement on their Twitter page. “We are saddened to share that cherished children’s book author Beverly Cleary passed away yesterday, March 25, at 104 years old.”

Several flooded in with loving comments for Cleary. One person wrote, “Nooooooo 🙁 But 104 is rather impressive. Thank you Ms. Cleary for enriching my childhood – Ramona the Pest, Ramona the Brave, Beesus and Ramona – loves all of them. Your memory will live on and your books enjoyed for ages. RIP.” Someone else said, “When she gets to the Pearly Gates, I hope St. Peter tells her ‘sit here for the present.’” Another one of the author’s fans commented, “What a long life! I’m so grateful she shared her gift of writing with the world. It shaped much of my childhood and I then read some of her works aloud to my kids. Cherished, indeed! RIP Beverly Cleary.”

Cleary passed away in Carmel, California and the cause of her death is unknown at this time. Needless to say, Cleary had a long and successful career as an author, becoming one of the most beloved among children’s books. According to the Washington Post, her path in that world started when she was a librarian in Yakima, Washington when she says, “A little boy faced me rather ferociously across the circulation desk and said, ‘Where are the books about kids like us?’” Unable to give the little boy an answer, that became her motivation to write books that weren’t out there just yet.

Writing more than 40 books, she won the hearts of many over telling the stories of high-spirited kids like Ramona Quimby and Henry Huggins. She told the story of relatable events that her readers were able to latch onto and find a bit of themselves inside each book. Throughout her career, she’s managed to sell more than 85 million copies of her books earning her a number of notable honors including Newbery Medal and Newbery Honor, as well as, the National Medal of Arts given by George W. Bush in 2003. Cleary will be missed by many, but her legacy will live on.