A review by kricketa
A Girl from Yamhill by Beverly Cleary

3.0

It was fun to read this and spot the life experiences that inspired Cleary's books- Emily's Runaway Imagination, in particular, came to mind, along with Ramona's understanding that life is unfair and grownups make mistakes too. In spite of mistakes and setbacks, the parents Beverly wrote for her characters were often more patient and understanding than what she had in real life. Cleary's relationship with her mother made me sad, and it made me shudder when she forced teenage Beverly to go on dates with a grown man, or spend time with a lecherous uncle. Yikes. I was glad when Beverly got away from her to study in California in the end.