Beverly Cleary

A young boy, Leigh, begins writing letters to a famous author, Mr. Henshaw, revealing what's going on in his life — like his parents' divorce — as he gradually matures and finds his place in the world. Leigh's voice is plausible and poignant.

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Emily Bartlett lives in a farmhouse in a small Oregon town during a time when cars are still unusual and libraries are rare. When spring comes, Emily feels that something wonderful will happen — and it does! Without modern forms of entertainment, Emily makes her world come alive for young readers.

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Henry Huggins is a regular kid who longs for some excitement in his otherwise normal – and he thinks boring life. When it arrives in the form of a scrawny dog he names Ribsy, the adventures and laughs begin!

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Janet and Jimmy are twins but like all siblings, Janet doesn't want Jimmy to touch her stuff. She takes her mother's suggestion and puts her "thingamajigs" in a special place. Janet's thingamajigs are dispatched when her special place, her crib, is replaced by a regular twin bed and the twins realize they're growing up. Full color illustrations complement the tone of this recognizable milestone in children's lives.

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Chuck throws caution to the wind, along with safety rules, when he rides on his spiffy new red motorcycle. That is, until he's brought back to reality by a highway patrol officer! Lively, alliterative language and realistic illustrations combine for this funny cautionary tale.

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Maggie stubbornly refuses to learn cursive in third grade; those curves and connections between letters are silly (hence the Muggie!). With a little help from a perceptive teacher, however, Maggie is able to change her opinion without losing her dignity.

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Otis Spofford likes to stir up a bit of excitement at home and in his third grade class; nothing awful, of course, just enough to keep things interesting. But he meets his match when he teases Ellen Tebbits and gets his comeuppance!

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Petey loves bedtime, because that's when he gets to hear the story of when he was born. Complete with fire trucks and wheelchairs racing through hospital halls, Petey takes over and embellishes his own story. Children and their parents will recognize themselves in this very funny book.

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Ralph is a mouse who speaks human and lives at the Mountain View Inn run by Ryan’s family. The fun starts when Ralph’s motorcycle breaks and he convinces Ryan to take him to a mysterious place called school. Characters come to life through the lively narration.

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When Ramona Quimby is in second grade, her dad loses his job and her mom must work outside the home. Feeling the stress, her dad takes up smoking again – a habit that Ramona plans to help him break! The irrepressible, one-of-a-kind star of Ramona the Pest is again both humorous and appealing.

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Ramona is ready for the challenges of a new school — without her older sister. It's a year of change for the Quimby family and if everyone else can adjust, so can Ramona. The normal challenges of family life come alive here with verve and humor.

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Ramona loves kindergarten and her wonderful teacher, Miss Binney. But even the best teacher and the most enthusiastic kindergartner can have a rough day or so. This leads to laughs for readers as they empathize with Ramona, who can be rather a pest and perhaps the first-ever kindergarten dropout.

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Ramona, a self-proclaimed "potential adult," is now nine years old and remains an effusive and memorable character. Her world is changing; she's a fourth grader and a big sister to boot. Ramona learns that the changes in her life have an impact on more than just herself.

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Socks has a difficult start in life, but things get much better when he is taken in by the Brickers. The young couple adore their feline friend. But when the baby arrives, Socks loses his place at the center of the Brickers' universe. Socks' antics are both humorous and recognizable in this engaging novel. Older siblings will relate!

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While on a family vacation in California, the Gridleys stay in an old hotel where a mouse named Ralph finds a toy motorcycle and meets Keith, the youngest Gridley. Thus begins a friendship and a memorable adventure of a mouse on a motorcycle. Ralph's adventures continue in Ralph S. Mouse (1982).

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Four picture books about twins, Jimmy and Janet, have been newly formatted and illustrated to create an appealing and attractive chapter book. Readers will see themselves in the characters as they try to carve out their own space within their family. This is an ideal read aloud for younger children or a solid read alone for independent readers.

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