Quotes from Beverly Cleary

He would be atleast sixteen-old enough to have a driver's licence- and he would have crinkles around his eyes that showed he had a sense of humor and he would be tall, the kind of boy all the other girls would like to date

Oh well, thought Jane, that's how men are. He's probably taking it for granted. She found it very pleasant to be taken for granted by Stan

If they had been riding in a car, she would have waited for him to go around and open the door for her, but riding in a truck is different

Haven't you noticed grown-ups aren't perfect? asked Mrs. Quimby. Especially when they're tired. Then how come you expect kids to be so perfect all the time? demanded Ramona.

I'm not a pest," said Ramona indignantly, and to get even she stretched one of Susan's curls and whispered, "Boing!

We have our ups and downs," said Mrs. Quimby, "but we manage to get along, and we stick together.

Halfway to the house Stan stopped and turned to Jane. He put his hands on her shoulders and drew her toward him. I'm glad we're going steady, he whispered. So am I. In spite of the reassuring weight of his bracelet on her wrist, Jane suddenly felt shy. It seemed strange to be so close to Stan, to feel his crisp clean shirt against her cheek. She could not look up at him. Gently Stan lifted her face to his. You're my girl, he whispered. -Fifteen

Ramona considered all these worries ridiculous, so she ignored them.

Nothing infuriated Ramona more than having a grown-up say, as if she could not hear, that she was worn out.

Ralph really felt sorry for the boy, hampered as he was by his youth and his mother.

As a child I very much objected to books that tried to teach me something. I just wanted to read for pleasure, and I did.

Nobody had to tell Ramona about disappointment.

Ramona was filled with the glory of losing her first tooth and love for her teacher. Miss Binney had said she was brave! This day was the most wonderful day in the world! The sun shone, the sky was blue, and Miss Binney loved her.

Miss Binney was not like most grown-ups. Miss Binney understood.

Daisy picked up the large, limp cat that was almost too heavy for her. "This is Clawed," she said. "C-l-a-w-e-d," she spelled. "Not like a man's name. My brother named him Clawed because he had been clawed by another cat when he found him hiding in a gutter. Daddy says he hopes Jeremy never finds a wounded skunk.

Don't eat so noisily. My grandmother used to say, 'A smack at the table is worth a smack on the bottom.

Besides, why wasn't the top of the bottle screwed on tight? Because some grown-up had not screwed it on, that's why. Children weren't the only people who did things wrong.

Poor Miss Binney, dressed like Mother Goose, now had the responsibility of sixty-eight boys and girls.

Didn't grown-ups think children worried about anything but jack-o'-lanterns? Didn't they know children worried about grown-ups?

A shivery feeling ran down Ramona's backbone, as if magic were taking place.

If she can't spell, she shouldn't be a librarian.

IF YOU ARE EATING PEAS THINK OF ME BEFORE YOU SNEEZE Signed, Yard Ape PRESIDENT

She wanted a grown-up to be wrong for a change. She was tired of the rightness of grown-ups.

Well, she thought, I'm certainly bright. She had wanted to meet a new boy and when she finally did meet one she didn't even find out his name