The only picture book biography of beloved children's author Beverly Cleary, creator of Ramona, Beezus, Henry, Ribsy, Ralph S. Mouse, and more! This charming book tells Beverly's own story of learning how to read and never giving up on her dreams to write stories for kids just like her.
A Junior Library Guild Selection, Just Like Beverly follows the life of Beverly Cleary from her early years in Oregon to her career as a beloved children's book author. As a young girl, Beverly Cleary struggled to learn to read and found most children's books dull and uninteresting. She often wondered if there were any books about kids just like her. With hard work, and the encouragement of her parents and a special teacher, she learned to read and at a young age discovered she had a knack for writing.
Beverly Cleary's story comes to life in this beautiful picture book as she grows to follow her dreams of writing the books she longed for as a child, becoming an award-winning writer and one of the most famous children's authors of all time. Beautiful illustrations capture Cleary's sense of humor, struggles, and triumphs, and are filled with Easter eggs throughout for readers young and old to discover.
“Debut author Conrad’s storytelling is straightforward, ably conveying—in tandem with Hohn’s homespun, vintage-style illustrations—the various eras of Cleary’s life and her passion for writing and for nurturing readers.” – Publisher’s Weekly
Marjory spoke up for the Everglades―and saved an entire ecosystem.
The Florida Everglades are made up of nine different ecosystems supporting an astonishing variety of wildlife―panthers, manatees, snails, frogs, and a rainbow of bird species. But for years, the Everglades were threatened. They needed a voice to speak up for them. Marjory Stoneman Douglas became that voice. Her book "A River of Grass" helped the world see the irreplaceable beauty and value of the Everglades. Marjory's activism led to the creation of a national park and dedicated conservation efforts, and throughout her long life she inspired countless people to use their voices to make a difference.
No one believed a woman could be stronger than a man, until Katie Brumbach–also known as Sandwina—displayed her show-stopping feats as a circus strongwoman.
100 pounds . . . 200 pounds . . . 300 pounds! Katie Brumbach became the world’s top strongwoman after she ousted Eugen Sandow by lifting hundreds of pounds over her head (which Sandow could barely lift to his shoulders). After that, she took the last name Sandwina and thrived in the circus world—which she had been participating in since the age of two when she first performed with her family. She grew over six feet tall as she got older, but Katie never second-guessed herself, and she trained to build her muscles, always eager to test her skills and try new feats.
After starting a family with a fellow performer, they were eventually signed to work with John Ringling of the Ringling Bros. Circus. Sandwina impressed the crowds by balancing a 1,000-pound cannon on her chest, by throwing a one-ton stone, and by having an iron slab broken on her body—she stole the show!