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planning2read's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
4.5
krivas91's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Pedophilia
demottar's review against another edition
5.0
It's been a while since I read any children's fiction by Beverly Cleary, but reading this memoir of her early childhood years evoked in me the same feelings of nostalgia, joy, and at-rightness-with-the-world that reading the Ramona Quimby books always did. That's not to say that Cleary had a pain-free life: she clearly struggled over her fraught relationship with her mother and growing up during the depression before WWII limited her life in many ways. Despite those trials, I appreciated the Cleary family's willingness to look up, not down and Beverly's enthusiasm for life came through in all of her experiences. This memoir was really a joy to read!
For only starting her journal in high school, Cleary has a remarkable memory for her younger childhood and the details surrounding every day events. She evoked such a strong sense of place in this memoir that I feel like I lived in Portland, Oregon in the 20s and 30s. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who has read and loved Beverly Cleary's novels, but also to anyone who just likes coming of age stories in an interesting place and time in American history.
For only starting her journal in high school, Cleary has a remarkable memory for her younger childhood and the details surrounding every day events. She evoked such a strong sense of place in this memoir that I feel like I lived in Portland, Oregon in the 20s and 30s. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who has read and loved Beverly Cleary's novels, but also to anyone who just likes coming of age stories in an interesting place and time in American history.
ikuo1000's review against another edition
4.0
*** Warning: This review contains spoilers! ***
I picked up this book to read aloud with Isabelle because I really, really enjoyed reading the Ramona Quimby and Henry Huggins series with her. We both thought it would be fun to learn more about the author together.
This book was just on the verge of holding Isabelle's interest. It does not have a strong narrative flow besides being told chronologically. The author basically very matter-of-factly recounts a series of choppy remembrances from her childhood. While there is an occasional bit of self-analysis, mostly there isn't a lot of depth. But, there are plenty of interesting anecdotes, and overall, this book is a good read for any Beverly Cleary fan.
Some of the stories about the author's childhood on a farm, and the histories of her ancestors who ventured out west in covered wagons, were reminiscent of the Little House series, which Isabelle loves. It was fun to draw connections between Beverly Cleary's family's life and Laura Ingalls Wilder's family's life.
Every so often, especially in the earlier chapters, we were treated to childhood experiences that clearly served as inspiration for Ramona Quimby's behavior or other aspects of Beverly Cleary's books. Isabelle and I enjoyed making those connections, too.
It was fascinating to read a first-hand account of how different life was back in the 1920's and 1930's, particularly during the Depression. I like that Isabelle was exposed to a whole different way of life that was part of the American experience. Schools especially have changed quite a bit. The author really had quite a difficult childhood after her family moved to the city. She frequently felt out of place among her peers, she and her family constantly worried about money, and her parents seemed unhappy and were not demonstrably affectionate with each other or with their daughter. In some ways, it was sad to realize that the author of so many happy children's books felt so much unhappiness in her own childhood. I actually think the book showed Isabelle that she has a lot to appreciate, though I don't know if she really got that message.
This book is appropriately categorized as "Young Adult". I do think Isabelle got a lot out of this book, even though I ended up not reading every word verbatim. I had assumed that the categorization was based predominantly on the length of the book, vocabulary, and sentence structure; it didn't occur to me that this book might contain "mature content", which it does. Besides having to explain to Isabelle the meaning of concepts like "mortgage" and "the Great Depression" (suitable topics, but mostly above her head), I also had to gloss over, or skip entirely, parts that included ideas that she just isn't old enough for. In one case, I did read the questionable material (ad-libbing when necessary), and then used the author's experience as a springboard for discussion.
Specifically, these are the "Young Adult" a.k.a. "not for children" topics that are mentioned in the book:
- The book talks explicitly of Santa Claus's non-existence.
- The author had a creepy uncle who made sexual advances towards her. For the most part, this chapter remained "PG-rated", though the word "sex" did appear a couple times throughout the book.
- There is a brief mention of the fact that one of the author's friends had a father who committed suicide.
- One of the author's friends innocently uses the word "chippy" as short for "chipmunk", only to find out later that it is slang for "prostitute".
A couple times, Isabelle realized that I was not reading the book word for word, and apparently, that really bothered her. She felt like she was missing out on something. I just had to remind her that the book is for "Young Adults", and some ideas or words in the book just aren't appropriate for a child her age.
This book ends with Beverly Cleary going off to junior college. To learn about her adult life, I will have to read her other autobiography, My Own Two Feet. That book is also categorized as "Young Adult", and I plan to read it on my own, though Isabelle has already expressed that she would like me to tell her the highlights!
I picked up this book to read aloud with Isabelle because I really, really enjoyed reading the Ramona Quimby and Henry Huggins series with her. We both thought it would be fun to learn more about the author together.
This book was just on the verge of holding Isabelle's interest. It does not have a strong narrative flow besides being told chronologically. The author basically very matter-of-factly recounts a series of choppy remembrances from her childhood. While there is an occasional bit of self-analysis, mostly there isn't a lot of depth. But, there are plenty of interesting anecdotes, and overall, this book is a good read for any Beverly Cleary fan.
Some of the stories about the author's childhood on a farm, and the histories of her ancestors who ventured out west in covered wagons, were reminiscent of the Little House series, which Isabelle loves. It was fun to draw connections between Beverly Cleary's family's life and Laura Ingalls Wilder's family's life.
Every so often, especially in the earlier chapters, we were treated to childhood experiences that clearly served as inspiration for Ramona Quimby's behavior or other aspects of Beverly Cleary's books. Isabelle and I enjoyed making those connections, too.
It was fascinating to read a first-hand account of how different life was back in the 1920's and 1930's, particularly during the Depression. I like that Isabelle was exposed to a whole different way of life that was part of the American experience. Schools especially have changed quite a bit. The author really had quite a difficult childhood after her family moved to the city. She frequently felt out of place among her peers, she and her family constantly worried about money, and her parents seemed unhappy and were not demonstrably affectionate with each other or with their daughter. In some ways, it was sad to realize that the author of so many happy children's books felt so much unhappiness in her own childhood. I actually think the book showed Isabelle that she has a lot to appreciate, though I don't know if she really got that message.
This book is appropriately categorized as "Young Adult". I do think Isabelle got a lot out of this book, even though I ended up not reading every word verbatim. I had assumed that the categorization was based predominantly on the length of the book, vocabulary, and sentence structure; it didn't occur to me that this book might contain "mature content", which it does. Besides having to explain to Isabelle the meaning of concepts like "mortgage" and "the Great Depression" (suitable topics, but mostly above her head), I also had to gloss over, or skip entirely, parts that included ideas that she just isn't old enough for. In one case, I did read the questionable material (ad-libbing when necessary), and then used the author's experience as a springboard for discussion.
Specifically, these are the "Young Adult" a.k.a. "not for children" topics that are mentioned in the book:
- The book talks explicitly of Santa Claus's non-existence.
- The author had a creepy uncle who made sexual advances towards her. For the most part, this chapter remained "PG-rated", though the word "sex" did appear a couple times throughout the book.
- There is a brief mention of the fact that one of the author's friends had a father who committed suicide.
- One of the author's friends innocently uses the word "chippy" as short for "chipmunk", only to find out later that it is slang for "prostitute".
A couple times, Isabelle realized that I was not reading the book word for word, and apparently, that really bothered her. She felt like she was missing out on something. I just had to remind her that the book is for "Young Adults", and some ideas or words in the book just aren't appropriate for a child her age.
This book ends with Beverly Cleary going off to junior college. To learn about her adult life, I will have to read her other autobiography, My Own Two Feet. That book is also categorized as "Young Adult", and I plan to read it on my own, though Isabelle has already expressed that she would like me to tell her the highlights!
lory_enterenchanted's review against another edition
It's been years since I read any of Beverly Cleary's books, but something prompted me to pick this up (probably a list of books by authors who died last year). It was wonderful! Now I want to revisit the Ramona books, which seem to have a lot of Beverly in them. Her troubled relationship with her mother was sad but interesting to read about, something that she seemingly kept out of her children's books.
k_lee_reads_it's review against another edition
4.0
If you want to read a nice book about growing up in Oregon (Portland) during the depression and learn more about the author Beverly Cleary this is the book. It isn't amazing, I can't say I really like it, but I more than liked it. Why aren't there .5's yet? 3.5
danyell919's review against another edition
4.0
A close look into the life of Beverly Cleary, who is still one of my favorite children's authors. Loved this book!
gma2lana's review against another edition
3.0
I was a bit dissapointed as I was hoping for a bit more...into her later years. However, I did discover that there is a second book. Mainly curiosity as she was born in the town a stones throw from me and raised in Portland, Oregon. AND of course I read her childrens stories as my children have also. As to whether or not to read the second memoir....I might.