Monday, March 3, 2014

Her Story

Every school aged child growing up in Portland during the 50's, well into the 80's, and even today remember the stories of Ramona the Pest and OUR fictional friends.

                                                         
Ramona

Our neighborhood Claim to Fame is the children's book author Beverly Cleary. All across this part of town are clues that Beverly Cleary was here.

Here at Grant Park is a water fountain honoring Ms. Cleary. In the summer it's a bubbling cool down for children. In the winter, it's well, time for a snowball fight?


                                                         
 Henry

This is Henry Huggins. The book, Henry and the Paper Route inspired me to have my own paper route in my childhood neighborhood back in the 70's. From our local library there are tours(and maps) that walk Henry's route with stops at various Beverly Cleary sites.

                                                        
 Ramona's Bungalow

Ramona lived at the corner of 28th and Klickitat. We were privileged to live in Ramona's "fictional" house for 7 years and were a bit taken aback by its local fameIn Beverly Cleary's own words, Klickitat sounded like knitting needles. A postcard she sent us is now with the new owners as it intends to stay where it belongs-with the free spirit of Ramona.


Beverly Cleary's childhood house is a block from the school she once learned to read and write and now is properly named Beverly Cleary School. It's in this school that young students are lucky enough to study in the classroom(still very much the same) where Beverly learned the alphabet in her early years.


Beverly Cleary's Childhood Home

I'm pretty certain that the new owners will enjoy their "many storied" little bungalow on Klickitat. After all, she(the new owner), is a children's librarian at the local library. Coincidence?

Perhaps. Drop by the Hollywood branch library, pick up the tour, and find out for yourself.











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