Welcome to the Blogging From A to Z Challenge!
My theme for 2013 is Influential Women Authors.
My definition of influential is any author, classic or modern, who has inspired writers, readers, or the larger scope of culture. Some are personal favorites, or have special meaning to me.
What this list is not: a list of the most influential writers of all time. Rather, this is a collection of influential writers, corresponding with each day's letter.
For the full list of participating blogs, click here.
While I did find a few "Q" authors, none were those that I'd read before, so I chose a memorable character created by an influential writer (stay tuned for more creative assignments when we move further toward the end of the alphabet!)
Ramona Quimby is the spunky girl from Beverly Cleary's children's books. The author wrote Ramona books starting in the 1950s through the end of the 1990s. Take a look at two different illustrated versions of Ramona below. The modern Ramona looks sassy, while old school Ramona looks like a spazz. And I imagine she's probably got sticky cheeks and hands.
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| beverlycleary.com |
She also wrote many other children's books, and even some for teens. I remember loving Ralph S. Mouse and his motorcycle.
Beverly Cleary won the ALA's Laura Ingalls Wilder award (mentioned earlier this month on my "I" post), Newbery awards, and she's been named a "Living Legend" by the Library of Congress.
I just learned from her website that the author's birthday--April 12--is noted as Drop Everything And Read (D.E.A.R) day to promote reading in schools. Oh, well and according to that site, it is also promoting reading over CHORES. I am so on board. I'm going to do that right now.
Check out Beverly Cleary's website here.
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I loved the Ramona books when I was a kid, although I identified more with Beezus since I, too, am an older sister. :) I like the older version of Ramona. She was definitely an original but I wouldn't have called her "sassy."
ReplyDeleteEvery single Beverly Cleary book was an instant classic. Great theme for A to Z, Steph!
ReplyDeleteBeverly Cleary books were some of my favorites as a kid, and one of the great pleasures of being a parent is being able to read The Mouse and the Motorcycle and Ramona the Brave all over again. Sometimes when you re-read childhood books as an adult they aren't as good as you remembered, but these are just as good. Better, even. I love all her books so much!
ReplyDeleteI loved the Ramona books as a child and preteen. It's kind of odd that Ms. Cleary's children's books have held up so well over time, in spite of having been written in the Fifties and Sixties, while her more teen-centered books seem kind of dated. I'm really not a fan of the modern-day trend of "updating" cover art and illustrations. The original Ramona looked just fine to me.
ReplyDeleteI love Ramona. Ramona and Her Father was one of the first chapter books I read.
ReplyDeleteWhat a change from the old Ramona to the modern one. I love the D.E.A.R. acronym, and I think it’s important to teach children about chores with a rewards system.
ReplyDeleteChontali Kirk
chontalikirk.blogspot.com
That was an excellent choice! Ah, the memories of those fun chapter books take me back - but I still had chores:)
ReplyDelete