Beverly Cleary, one of the most beloved writers of children’s books, was born in our own lovely state of Oregon and spent much of her childhood in tiny Yamhill, Oregon. On May 13, Yamhill held a special celebration to remember Cleary. Appropriately, it was a quiet, family-friendly event. The more athletic took part in a 5K run. The scientifically-minded could look through a solar telescope. Kids flocked to a bounce house to use up their extra energy.
Local businesses took part in Beverly Cleary Day, offering free hot dogs and birthday cake. Madeline’s Library, founded and run by a local girl, collected donated books and gave away copies of a Beverly Cleary title. Amy Lamae Brewer ran a writing contest for children.
Fellow children’s author Carole Marie Shelton and I brought our books to sell, as well as offering free coloring pages, puzzles, and, more popular, cookies and candy. Although few books were sold, we had a fun time watching the event from our booth. Next year Amy hopes to have more authors present. I’m looking forward to it!
