Top Five Beverly Cleary Books

“Don’t stop now. Go ahead! Be readers all of your lives. And don’t forget, librarians and teachers can help you find the right books to read.” (from an April 2010 interview) 

We couldn’t agree with you more, Beverly Cleary. Thanks for all you’ve given us.

Here are our top five by Beverly Cleary. What's on your list?

#1 Ramona the Pest (1968)

It's tough to pick a favorite Ramona book out of the eight-book series, but Ramona the Pest wins a place in our hearts based solely on our hero's misinterpretation of the line in "The Star-Spangled Banner": "dawnzer lee light" instead of "dawn's early light." It's funny but also profound, reminding all of us not to worry about looking foolish when we learn something new.

#2 Henry Huggins (1950)

Ramona and Beezus make their first appearance in this early book—but that's not the only reason it's one of our favorites. Cleary wrote Henry because, when she worked as a librarian back in the 1930s, she found it hard to find books that captured kids' imaginations. Henry, a regular kid growing up on the perfectly named Klickitat Street, does just that.

#3 Dear Mr. Henshaw (1983)

Cleary's only Newbery Medal-winner, this story of a boy writing letters to his favorite author is one of Cleary's most personal and heart-breaking. Leigh's tough relationship with his parents and passion for books have undoubtedly resonated with millions of kids in the 30+ years since its publication.

#4 Ribsy (1964)

Henry's beloved dog got a spinoff of his very own. Readers follow his solo adventures during his day as a runaway until he's finally (spoiler alert!) reunited with Henry. Dog-loving readers relished seeing the loyal pup off on his own.

#5 Runaway Ralph (1970)

This book—a sequel to The Mouse and the Motorcyle—follows the intrepid mouse out of his neighborhood and into a summer camp. Cleary, who was positively brilliant at naming her characters, did some of her finest work in this book with Chum (a hamster), Garf (a boy), and Catso (a cat, of course).

Now check out all of the reasons our library staff members love Beverly Cleary.

Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your picks! Tell us what you'd recommend: Leave a comment or email us.

A version of this post was first published in 2016.