Thinking About Beverly Cleary's Books

Beverly Cleary's books belong to my childhood. I well remember enjoying and identifying with Beezus as we both had annoying little sisters. Yes, Ramona was cute and pert and spunky, but I went for the stories featuring her older sister and her friend Henry most of all. And growing up in the 50s and 60s Midwest, I saw plenty of similarities to my life and that of the children in those early books. I was all grown-up by the time Ramona the Brave came out and assumed that it meant less to me than the others because I was no longer identifying with the characters as I had as a kid. Now an intriguing consideration of Cleary's books by Benjamin Schwartz in The Atlantic, "My Ramona"  has me reconsidering that stance. For Schwartz makes a most interesting observation, positing that there is a shift in style and quality with the publication of Ramona the Brave. A very interesting piece, well worth reading.