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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.
quietjenn's review against another edition
4.0
I very much enjoyed this. And as someone who grew up on Cleary, it was lovely to note little instances from her childhood which popped up in her fiction. But beyond that, it's such a vivid but clear eyed portrait of growing up in a particular time and during a particular place. Very struck by how Greatest Generation her attitude is towards things she experienced and I marvel at how unsentimental and straightforward her writing is. It very much makes me want to revisit her children's fiction which was such formative reading for me.
literaryhypewoman's review against another edition
4.0
She packs so many stories into this memoir! I don't know if I dislike her mother or Gerhart more... turds.
booksaprilreads's review against another edition
5.0
Beverly Cleary’s books were the first “chapter books” I read as a child. I loved them and still have a few of them. I was so sad to learn of her passing in March. My mom saw this book mentioned somewhere and told me about it. I am so glad she did.
In this book we follow Beverley from her birth to when she graduates from high school. I had no idea she lived during the depression. Her insights into what was going on in the world and her family painted a picture easy to understand.
The moving from the farm to the city was a hard thing especially for her father. He never really liked working in banks and truly missed the life of a farmer.
Beverly’s relationship with her mother was strained so much of the time it seemed. Her affection for Beverly was irregular and it was easy to see that she had her own wishes for Beverly, perhaps based on her own hardships at the time.
I loved this insight into one of my favorite authors from my childhood. I look forward to reading the next book that follows her through college and her first book being published.
In this book we follow Beverley from her birth to when she graduates from high school. I had no idea she lived during the depression. Her insights into what was going on in the world and her family painted a picture easy to understand.
The moving from the farm to the city was a hard thing especially for her father. He never really liked working in banks and truly missed the life of a farmer.
Beverly’s relationship with her mother was strained so much of the time it seemed. Her affection for Beverly was irregular and it was easy to see that she had her own wishes for Beverly, perhaps based on her own hardships at the time.
I loved this insight into one of my favorite authors from my childhood. I look forward to reading the next book that follows her through college and her first book being published.
martha_w's review against another edition
4.0
A memoir from Beverly Cleary that covers her childhood through her high school years. She mostly tells her story from her point of view at that particular time instead of looking back from the present. It was as thoroughly engaging as her fiction and a fascinating picture of a girl growing up during the Great Depression.
izzye1500's review against another edition
4.5
i don’t think i’ve read many accounts of childhood during the Depression. this was really interesting and vivid! she took childhood so seriously and it makes her own childhood, even the thorny parts, a pleasure to read
anndeehi's review against another edition
4.0
Beverly Cleary is one of my favorite children's author. This book tells of her life and really helps to see where her stories came from.
caryleliza's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this. It was especially fun to read alongside two of her earliest books, Henry Huggins and Ellen Tebbits. I didn't want it to end, so I'm glad there's another memoir about her young adult years!
kaitspen13's review against another edition
3.0
Better then I expected but not my usual kind of read.