The passing of Beverly Cleary is a loss worth noting. Among her many books is Newbery Winner, Dear Mr. Henshaw. We have all been Leigh Botts; lonely and searching for love, companionship, and solace in every corner of the world. Cleary understood kids. She understood me. Dear Mr. Henshaw is a Newbery 100 book that speaks directly to my soul, both then and now.
On answering fan mail: “I did for about 30 years, over my publisher’s objection. They wanted me to be writing books, but you know, I learned a lot from children’s letters.”
One of our goals as teachers at Sapna Academy is to learn what our students are passionate about, and then develop curriculum around those interests, encouraging students to take steps to further explore who they are.
Here’s to Beverly and the legacy of stories she leaves behind for us all to enjoy and to help us remember what it is like to be a kid.