As she turns 100, Beverly Cleary reflects on her childhood, writing, and — of course — Ramona Quimby

Had Beverly Cleary decided to ignore her inclination to become a writer, the world would never have known Ramona Quimby, her sister Beezus, Henry Huggins, or any of the other characters she brought to life.

For more than 60 years, Cleary's books have delighted millions of children, and on April 12, the beloved author is celebrating a major milestone: She's turning 100. Cleary told The Washington Post she's not going to really focus on the big day — all she wants is a piece of carrot cake "because I like it" — and instead will let everyone else "fuss" about it. Now living in a retirement home in Northern California, Cleary spends her days watching some television, reading, doing crossword puzzles, visiting with family, and writing letters (although, "when you get to be 99," she said, "there aren't many people to write letters to").

Born in 1916 in rural Oregon, Cleary didn't learn to read until she was in third grade. "I liked to have [my mother] read to me," she told The Post. "So I thought, what's the point in my having to do it myself?" She discovered she did in fact like reading on her own, and as an adult, after her mother told her being a writer wasn't enough to earn a living, she became a children's librarian (she worked as a seamstress and chambermaid to pay for her education at University of California at Berkeley and University of Washington). No longer able to ignore her urges to write, Cleary drafted Henry Huggins, which was promptly rejected. After making some tweaks — and adding Ramona and Beezus — the book was published in 1950.

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Cleary's children offered her some helpful tips along the way — son Malcolm told her one character would never have a banana in his pocket, since it would squish while riding his bike — and her last book, Ramona's World, came out in 1999. Although feisty Ramona is her favorite character, Cleary doesn't like being compared to her — "I thought like Ramona, but I was a very well-behaved little girl," she said. Her second favorite character is the less plucky Ellen Tebbits, and Cleary told The Post she would certainly invite both fictional girls to dinner if she could — just "not at the same time." Catherine Garcia

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