Beverly_NP0 Cleary_NP0 ,_PUN the_AT0 revered_AJ0 children_NN2 's_POS author_NN1 who_PNQ enchanted_VVD generations_NN2 of_PRF readers_NN2 with_PRP stories_NN2 about_PRP pesky_AJ0 ,_PUN curious_AJ0 Ramona_NN1 and_CJC the_AT0 other_AJ0 young_AJ0 residents_NN2 of_PRF Klickitat_NP0 Street_NP0 ,_PUN has_VHZ died_VVN ._SENT She_PNP was_VBD 104._CRD 
The_AT0 Oregon_NP0 native_NN1 quietly_AV0 revolutionized_VVN children_NN2 's_POS literature_NN1 with_PRP one_CRD simple_AJ0 idea_NN1 :_PUN write_VVB books_NN2 about_PRP "_PUQ regular_AJ0 "_PUQ kids_NN2 who_PNQ were_VBD special_AJ0 precisely_AV0 because_CJS they_PNP were_VBD relatable_AJ0 ._SENT 
The_AT0 same_DT0 could_VM0 be_VBI said_VVN of_PRF Cleary_NP0 herself_PNX ,_PUN who_PNQ lived_VVD out_AVP her_DPS final_AJ0 decades_NN2 in_PRP Carmel_NP0 ,_PUN Calif._NP0 ,_PUN where_AVQ she_PNP was_VBD content_AJ0 with_PRP simple_AJ0 pleasures_NN2 like_PRP a_AT0 good_AJ0 book_NN1 and_CJC a_AT0 slice_NN1 of_PRF carrot_NN1 cake_NN1 ._SENT Even_AV0 turning_VVG 100_CRD seemed_VVD to_TO0 elicit_VVI little_AV0 more_AV0 than_CJS an_AT0 eye_NN1 roll_NN1 ,_PUN dryly_AV0 noting_VVG to_PRP the_AT0 Washington_NP0 Post_NN1 in_PRP 2016_CRD ,_PUN "_PUQ Go_VVB ahead_AV0 and_CJC make_VVB a_AT0 fuss_NN1 –_PUN everyone_PNI else_AV0 is_VBZ ._SENT "_PUQ 
HarperCollins_NP0 Children_NN2 's_POS Books_NN2 President_NN1 and_CJC Publisher_NN1 Suzanne_NP0 Murphy_NP0 confirmed_VVD Cleary_NP0 's_POS death_NN1 in_PRP a_AT0 statement_NN1 Friday_NP0 ,_PUN and_CJC noted_VVD that_CJT the_AT0 publishing_NN1 house_NN1 feels_VVZ "_PUQ extremely_AV0 lucky_AJ0 to_TO0 have_VHI worked_VVN with_PRP Beverly_NP0 Cleary_NP0 and_CJC to_TO0 have_VHI enjoyed_VVN her_DPS sparkling_AJ0 wit_NN1 ._SENT Her_DPS timeless_AJ0 books_NN2 are_VBB an_AT0 affirmation_NN1 of_PRF her_DPS everlasting_AJ0 connection_NN1 to_PRP the_AT0 pleasures_NN2 ,_PUN challenges_NN2 ,_PUN and_CJC triumphs_NN2 that_CJT are_VBB part_NN1 of_PRF every_AT0 childhood_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ 
A_AT0 struggling_AJ0 early_AJ0 reader_NN1 
Beverly_NP0 Bunn_NP0 was_VBD born_VVN April_NP0 12_CRD ,_PUN 1916_CRD and_CJC spent_VVD her_DPS early_AJ0 years_NN2 on_PRP a_AT0 farm_NN1 in_PRP Yamhill_NP0 ,_PUN Ore._NP0 –_PUN where_AVQ her_DPS mother_NN1 ran_VVD a_AT0 makeshift_AJ0 library_NN1 in_PRP a_AT0 room_NN1 above_PRP a_AT0 local_AJ0 bank_NN1 ._SENT Born_VVN before_PRP television_NN1 and_CJC before_PRP most_DT0 families_NN2 had_VHD radios_NN2 ,_PUN Cleary_NP0 said_VVD her_DPS mother_NN1 would_VM0 read_VVI to_PRP her_DPS and_CJC her_DPS father_NN1 every_AT0 night_NN1 –_PUN an_AT0 activity_NN1 she_PNP credits_VVZ with_PRP cementing_VVG her_DPS lifelong_AJ0 love_NN1 of_PRF literature_NN1 ._SENT 
But_CJC school_NN1 was_VBD initially_AV0 a_AT0 struggle_NN1 ._SENT In_PRP first_ORD grade_NN1 ,_PUN she_PNP recalled_VVD being_VBG part_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 lowest_AJS reading_NN1 group_NN1 ,_PUN the_AT0 Blackbirds_NN2 ,_PUN and_CJC schemed_VVD of_PRF how_AVQ she_PNP could_VM0 drop_VVI out_AVP of_PRF school_NN1 altogether_AV0 ._SENT It_PNP was_VBD n't_XX0 until_PRP third_ORD grade_NN1 that_CJT she_PNP began_VVD to_TO0 read_VVI confidently_AV0 ._SENT Part_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 issue_NN1 ,_PUN she_PNP repeatedly_AV0 explained_VVD ,_PUN was_VBD that_CJT the_AT0 books_NN2 available_AJ0 to_PRP her_PNP at_PRP the_AT0 time_NN1 did_VDD n't_XX0 exactly_AV0 excite_VVI her_PNP ._SENT 
"_PUQ So_AV0 many_DT0 books_NN2 in_PRP those_DT0 days_NN2 –_PUN back_AVP in_PRP the_AT0 1920s_CRD –_PUN had_VHD been_VBN published_VVN in_PRP England_NP0 and_CJC the_AT0 children_NN2 and_CJC nannies_NN2 and_CJC pony_NN1 carts_NN2 ,_PUN and_CJC they_PNP seemed_VVD like_PRP a_AT0 bunch_NN1 of_PRF sissies_NN2 to_PRP me_PNP ,_PUN "_PUQ she_PNP told_VVD NBC_NP0 's_POS Today_AV0 show_VVB in_PRP 2016._CRD 
But_CJC once_CJS she_PNP discovered_VVD the_AT0 power_NN1 of_PRF books_NN2 ,_PUN she_PNP was_VBD hooked_VVN ._SENT Despite_PRP pressure_NN1 from_PRP her_DPS mother_NN1 to_TO0 get_VVI married_AJ0 after_PRP high_AJ0 school_NN1 ,_PUN she_PNP instead_AV0 enrolled_VVD in_PRP Chaffey_NP0 Junior_AJ0 College_NN1 with_PRP a_AT0 dream_NN1 of_PRF becoming_VVG a_AT0 children_NN2 's_POS librarian_NN1 ._SENT She_PNP later_AV0 transferred_VVN to_PRP the_AT0 University_NN1 of_PRF California-Berkeley_NP0 ,_PUN where_AVQ she_PNP met_VVD the_AT0 love_NN1 of_PRF her_DPS life_NN1 ,_PUN Clarence_NP0 Clancy_NP0 ._SENT She_PNP initially_AV0 put_VVB off_AVP marriage_NN1 to_TO0 pursue_VVI her_DPS professional_AJ0 passion_NN1 ._SENT She_PNP moved_VVD to_PRP Seattle_NP0 to_TO0 earn_VVI a_AT0 degree_NN1 in_PRP library_NN1 science_NN1 and_CJC landed_VVD her_DPS first_ORD library_NN1 job_NN1 in_PRP the_AT0 small_AJ0 town_NN1 of_PRF Yakima_NP0 ._SENT 
Writing_VVG about_PRP '_PUQ regular_AJ0 '_PUQ kids_NN2 
She_PNP often_AV0 credited_VVD one_CRD young_AJ0 library_NN1 patron_NN1 for_PRP launching_VVG her_DPS literary_AJ0 career_NN1 after_PRP the_AT0 boy_NN1 stubbornly_AV0 lamented_VVN –_PUN as_CJS she_PNP once_AV0 did_VDD –_PUN that_CJT he_PNP could_VM0 n't_XX0 find_VVI any_DT0 books_NN2 about_PRP kids_NN2 "_PUQ like_PRP us_PNP ._SENT "_PUQ 
"_PUQ It_PNP was_VBD a_AT0 little_AJ0 boy_NN1 who_PNQ changed_VVD my_DPS life_NN1 ,_PUN "_PUQ she_PNP told_VVD Publisher_NN1 's_POS Weekly_NN1 in_PRP 2016._CRD "_PUQ I_PNP could_VM0 n't_XX0 find_VVI any_DT0 books_NN2 about_PRP kids_NN2 who_PNQ played_VVD on_PRP the_AT0 sidewalk_NN1 in_PRP front_NN1 of_PRF their_DPS houses_NN2 ._SENT Authors_NN2 back_AVP then_AV0 thought_VVD their_DPS characters_NN2 needed_VVD to_TO0 go_VVI to_PRP sea_NN1 or_CJC have_VHB big_AJ0 adventures_NN2 ._SENT Well_AV0 ,_PUN most_DT0 kids_NN2 do_VDB n't_XX0 have_VHI adventures_NN2 ,_PUN but_CJC they_PNP still_AV0 lead_VVB interesting_AJ0 lives_NN2 ..._PUN Finally_AV0 ,_PUN when_CJS I_PNP sat_VVD down_AVP to_TO0 write_VVI ,_PUN I_PNP thought_VVD about_PRP that_DT0 little_AJ0 boy_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ 
Henry_NP0 Huggins_NP0 made_VVD its_DPS debut_NN1 in_PRP 1950_CRD –_PUN 10_CRD years_NN2 after_PRP she_PNP and_CJC Clarence_NP0 eloped_VVD because_CJS her_DPS parents_NN2 did_VDD n't_XX0 approve_VVI of_PRF the_AT0 union_NN1 ._SENT World_NN1 War_NN1 II_CRD had_VHD further_AV0 derailed_VVN initial_AJ0 writing_NN1 plans_NN2 ,_PUN as_CJS the_AT0 young_AJ0 couple_NN1 moved_VVN to_PRP the_AT0 Bay_NN1 Area_NN1 where_CJS she_PNP worked_VVD as_PRP a_AT0 librarian_NN1 at_PRP the_AT0 Oakland_NP0 Army_NN1 base_NN1 and_CJC military_AJ0 hospital_NN1 ._SENT 
The_AT0 couple_NN1 settled_VVD back_AVP in_PRP Berkeley_NP0 in_PRP 1949_CRD ,_PUN and_CJC it_PNP was_VBD there_AV0 that_CJT Cleary_NP0 's_POS writing_NN1 career_NN1 took_VVD hold_NN1 ._SENT She_PNP wrote_VVD more_AV0 than_CJS 40_CRD books_NN2 in_PRP a_AT0 career_NN1 that_CJT spanned_VVD more_AV0 than_CJS half_DT0 a_AT0 century_NN1 ,_PUN vividly_AV0 chronicling_VVG the_AT0 lives_NN2 of_PRF fictional_AJ0 kids_NN2 on_PRP Klickitat_NP0 Street_NP0 who_PNQ bore_VVD more_AV0 than_CJS passing_VVG resemblances_NN2 to_PRP the_AT0 children_NN2 she_PNP keenly_AV0 observed_VVD in_PRP real_AJ0 life_NN1 ._SENT Some_DT0 of_PRF her_DPS most_DT0 famous_AJ0 titles_NN2 include_VVB Ramona_NP0 Quimby_NP0 ,_PUN Age_NN1 8_CRD ;_PUN The_AT0 Mouse_NN1 and_CJC the_AT0 Motorcycle_NN1 ;_PUN and_CJC Ramona_NP0 and_CJC Beezus_NP0 ._SENT 
Her_DPS indelible_AJ0 impact_NN1 
Generations_NN2 of_PRF readers_NN2 have_VHB special_AJ0 affection_NN1 for_PRP Ramona_NP0 Quimby_NP0 ,_PUN the_AT0 scrappy_AJ0 ,_PUN stubborn_AJ0 younger_AJC sister_NN1 to_PRP Beezus_NP0 ._SENT Cleary_NP0 often_AV0 said_VVD Ramona_NP0 debuted_VVD as_PRP an_AT0 afterthought_NN1 ;_PUN after_CJS she_PNP realized_VVD that_CJT most_DT0 of_PRF her_DPS initial_AJ0 characters_NN2 were_VBD only-children_AJ0 ,_PUN she_PNP dreamed_VVD up_AVP Ramona_NN1 and_CJC named_VVD her_PNP after_PRP a_AT0 girl_NN1 in_PRP the_AT0 neighborhood_NN1 ._SENT Cleary_NP0 ended_VVD up_AVP writing_VVG eight_CRD books_NN2 about_PRP her_PNP ,_PUN and_CJC believed_VVD she_PNP was_VBD especially_AV0 beloved_AJ0 "_PUQ because_CJS she_PNP did_VDD not_XX0 learn_VVI to_TO0 be_VBI a_AT0 better_AJC girl_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ 
"_PUQ I_PNP was_VBD so_AV0 annoyed_AJ0 with_PRP the_AT0 books_NN2 in_PRP my_DPS childhood_NN1 ,_PUN because_CJS children_NN2 always_AV0 learned_VVN to_TO0 be_VBI better_AJC children_NN2 ,_PUN and_CJC in_PRP my_DPS experience_NN1 ,_PUN they_PNP did_VDD n't_XX0 ,_PUN "_PUQ she_PNP once_AV0 told_VVD PBS_NP0 ._SENT "_PUQ They_PNP just_AV0 grew_VVD ,_PUN and_CJC so_AV0 I_PNP started_VVD Ramona_NP0 ,_PUN and_CJC —_PUN and_CJC she_PNP has_VHZ never_AV0 reformed_VVN ._SENT "_PUQ 
Cleary_NP0 was_VBD one_CRD of_PRF the_AT0 first_ORD children_NN2 's_POS writers_NN2 to_TO0 focus_VVI on_PRP emotional_AJ0 realism_NN1 ,_PUN honestly_AV0 tackling_VVG topics_NN2 including_PRP financial_AJ0 struggles_NN2 ,_PUN bullying_NN1 and_CJC sibling_NN1 rivalry_NN1 ._SENT In_PRP 1984_CRD she_PNP won_VVD a_AT0 Newbury_NP0 Medal_NN1 for_PRP Dear_AJ0 Mr._NP0 Henshaw_NP0 ,_PUN a_AT0 book_NN1 she_PNP wrote_VVD after_PRP two_CRD young_AJ0 fans_NN2 asked_VVD her_PNP to_TO0 write_VVI about_PRP a_AT0 boy_NN1 whose_DTQ parents_NN2 were_VBD divorced_VVN ._SENT In_PRP 2000_CRD ,_PUN the_AT0 Library_NN1 of_PRF Congress_NN1 named_VVD her_PNP a_AT0 "_PUQ Living_AJ0 Legend_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ 
She_PNP was_VBD also_AV0 a_AT0 working_AJ0 mother_NN1 who_PNQ wrote_VVD while_CJS raising_VVG her_DPS twins_NN2 ,_PUN Marianne_NP0 and_CJC Malcolm_NP0 ._SENT Although_CJS she_PNP had_VHD said_VVN it_PNP "_PUQ was_VBD n't_XX0 easy_AJ0 "_PUQ juggling_NN1 motherhood_NN1 and_CJC a_AT0 high-profile_AJ0 career_NN1 ,_PUN her_DPS daughter_NN1 told_VVD NPR_NP0 in_PRP 2016_CRD that_CJT her_DPS mother_NN1 managed_VVD to_TO0 do_VDI it_PNP all_DT0 in_PRP her_DPS signature_NN1 no-nonsense_AJ0 fashion_NN1 ._SENT 
"_PUQ My_DPS ancestors_NN2 crossed_VVD the_AT0 plains_NN2 in_PRP covered_AJ0 wagons_NN2 ..._PUN and_CJC so_AV0 my_DPS mother_NN1 is_VBZ from_PRP pioneer_NN1 stock_NN1 ,_PUN "_PUQ she_PNP said_VVD ._SENT "_PUQ She_PNP 's_VBZ very_AV0 disciplined_AJ0 ._SENT When_CJS she_PNP would_VM0 write_VVI every_AT0 morning_NN1 ,_PUN she_PNP would_VM0 sit_VVI down_AVP after_PRP breakfast_NN1 ,_PUN my_DPS brother_NN1 and_CJC I_PNP would_VM0 go_VVI to_PRP school_NN1 ,_PUN and_CJC she_PNP 'd_VM0 write_VVI ,_PUN till_PRP noon_NN1 or_CJC so_AV0 ._SENT She_PNP never_AV0 waited_VVD for_PRP inspiration_NN1 ,_PUN she_PNP just_AV0 got_VVD to_PRP it_PNP ._SENT "_PUQ 
She_PNP was_VBD also_AV0 a_AT0 pioneer_NN1 who_PNQ continues_VVZ to_TO0 influence_VVI other_AJ0 celebrated_AJ0 children_NN2 's_POS authors_NN2 ,_PUN including_PRP Judy_NP0 Blume_NP0 ._SENT 
"_PUQ Beverly_NP0 was_VBD my_DPS inspiration_NN1 ._SENT Still_AV0 is_VBZ ,_PUN "_PUQ Blume_NP0 told_VVD UC-Berkeley_NP0 's_POS alumni_NN2 magazine_NN1 in_PRP 2016._CRD 
