A review by arielzeit
My Own Two Feet by Beverly Cleary

4.0

I was surprised to discover that Beverly Cleary was not primarily a children's librarian and actually left Portland, Oregon, pretty much as soon as possible for California and other places as soon as possible. She worked for a year in Yakima, Washington, which is where the little boys and girls asked her "where are the books about children like us?" (the famous inspiration for her wonderful books). She grew up in the Depression and went through WWII and it shapes everything about her. She is so excited to go to community college in California. Then she switches to Berkeley, for which her parents grudged the $150/year fees. As Beverly tells it, her mother is odious; won't let Beverly get glasses because it might interfere with getting a husband, is hostile to her Catholic husband (Cleary), and generally guilt-trips her and cold-shoulders her by turns. It's not a dramatic story anymore than "Henry