During my visit to Portland last week, my friend Ron took me to several Beverly Clearly sites he knew I’d want to see. Didn’t have to travel far to Klickitat Street, and found a geocache there, which delighted me (and, when I got home and told them, my children). We drove by Beverly Cleary’s childhood home, and the nearby elementary school which now bears her name. Between them was a busy intersection where I imagined Henry Huggins performing his stalwart crossing-guard duties.
Then we wandered over to Grant Park, where the statues are.
Ramona
Henry
Ribsy
Poor Beezus! No statue!
There’s a geocache nearby named after the statues, but we couldn’t find it, despite a diligent hunt. I guess I’ll have to leave it to my kids when I take them to this site someday.
Karen E., naturally I thought of you and your Ramona the whole time. Perhaps our next family meetup should be in the Portland? 
I’m reviewing some new apps for GeekMom, including one I think is going to be quite popular: Mystery Math Town from Artgig. You may recall that I gave high marks to Artgig’s Marble Math & Marble Math Jr. over at Wired a while back. I’ll link to my Mystery Math Town review when it goes live, but I thought I’d give you a heads-up. Fun, absorbing, and is proving an engaging way to slip in some math-fact practice for my Beanie-and-under crew. Including Huck. You can customize for addition, subtraction, multiplication, single digits, double digits, etc.
Yesterday Rilla and I needed to choose our next read-aloud. We decided to spread all the contenders out on my bed. Turned out there were a lot of contenders. I see a couple of repeat-requests snuck in there. (Odd Duck, for example—a graphic novel by Cecil Castellucci, art by Sara Varon. Rilla adores it.)
(I rotated the photo so the titles would be easy to read, and Facebook friends thought I was displaying a giant wall display. I wish!)
After much deliberation, Rilla chose a new arrival, The Big Bad Wolf Goes on Vacation (which I’ve now read aloud three times in two days—once each to the 9yo, 6yo, and 4yo), and then settled in for Ramona the Pest. Her first acquaintance with Ramona. That perfect first sentence—”‘I am not a pest,’ Ramona Quimby told her big sister Beezus.”—had her at hello.
Thousands of you have already voted and shared the books and memories that made you a reader. Check out some of the great comments we’ve received. Is your favorite book listed?
If not, make sure to vote today and share your story of how you got hooked on reading! We’ll post more comments throughout the next several weeks.
Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary
“It was the first book I could read and understand myself. I grew up in a household of 8 siblings. I would hide in a closet with a flashlight and read an entire chapter.” – Vanessa
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton
“I loved the book, I would have my parents read it over and over until they finally wouldn’t read it any more that day.” – Craig
Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
“I just remember the pictures and the little boy seemed unafraid of anything. I really wanted to be Max. Plus, what a cool set of p-j’s!” – Paul
Now We Are Six by A.A. Milne; Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey; and The New Zoo McGroo Zoo
“Sorry! I could not pick just one. These three books still bring back fond memories of my room in my grandmother’s house, snuggled in my bed and having an expressive rendition of such old favorites.” – Ellen
Happy Birthday to You by Dr. Seuss
“I got the book in second grade and could read it MYSELF! Books have always taken me on adventures, allowed me to be someone else and encouraged me to ‘fly.’” – Carolyn
