Senator Ron Wyden recognize her contributions to the state, during a speech on the Senate floor. "Her book series Ramona and Henry Huggins are both set in Portland and continue to serve as important threads throughout Oregon’s literary fabric. Ms Cleary’s impact on the state of Oregon and the city of Portland have not gone unnoticed." A northeast Portland K-8 school is named after the author, and in 2000 the Library of Congress named her a “living legend.”

 

Wyden added, "For years, Beverly Cleary’s characters have called Portland home, and for the countless children who grew up with her writing, Ms Cleary’s stories have been their haven. With enduring and relatable themes of adventure and adolescence and friendship, Ms Cleary’s novels have withstood the test of time and have established their place in the pages of Oregon’s cultural heritage."

 

Cleary was born in McMinnville and moved to Portland as a child. Throughout her 66-year career, Cleary wrote more than 40 children’s books, selling 90-million copies.