Librarian turned Newbery award-winning author Beverly Cleary ('39) turns 94 today, and her birthday is celebrated across the country on National D.E.A.R. Day, with activities related to the Drop Everything and Read Program. The inspiration for D.E.A.R. Day came from a scene in Newbery honor book Ramona Quimby, Age 8, where Ramona gets to enjoy reading with her class.

School Library Journal caught up with Cleary, who makes her home in coastal California, and collected some heartfelt birthday messages from some those in the world of children's literature.

Among those sending birthday greeting through SLJ was Eliza Dresang, Beverly Cleary Professor for Children and Youth Services at the iSchool, who said, "Yesterday a Dean at the University of Washington stopped me to say, 'I grew up on Ramona and Beezus and Henry Huggins. They played a major role in my learning English quickly when I came to the US as a native Spanish speaker,' while a 5 year old spontaneously shouted 'I'm just like Henry Huggins.' Daily I have the privilege of hearing stories of this continuing joy you bring into the lives of so many readers of all ages, each of whom would like to say with me 'Happy Birthday and Thank You, Beverly Cleary!'"

The full article is available on the School Library Journal website.