Though she always loved books, Beverly Cleary didn’t become a writer until she was in her thirties. What began as a project to entertain her young patrons at the library where she worked in the 1940s became the genesis of her first children’s book and the start of a writing career that would span decades, inspire generations of young readers, and transform the landscape of children’s literature. Born on April 12, 1916, in McMinnville, Oregon, Cleary struggled with reading and never found children’s books that interested her. After completing her education, Cleary became a librarian and noticed the lack of relatable children’s books and her patrons’ lack of interest in the fantastical, unrealistic canon of traditional children’s stories. Drawing from her childhood memories and observations of children around her, Cleary began to craft children’s stories and dedicated herself to portraying authentic and relatable characters. The stories first came together in her mind, and later she began to write them longhand. She fine-tuned the storylines and dialogue to ensure the stories would appeal to young readers. Cleary never intended to become a published writer, but soon her work became public, and Cleary’s life took an unexpected turn (Egan, Elisabeth. “