They sing the praises of the Beverly Clearly / Louis Darling duo in ways that will move the books to the top of the list of adult readers interested in revisiting the favorites of their youth. You seem to know exactly what I had in mind.”Īs a bonus, the new editions boast something the originals lack: Introductory appreciations by popular authors and illustrators of today, including Jeff Kinney ( WIMPY KID), Newbery honoree Cece Bell ( SOCK MONKEY, EL DEAFO), and two-time Caldecott honoree Marla Frazee ( BOSS BABY). When she saw his first illustrations for HENRY HUGGINS, she wrote to Darling, “I want to tell you how delighted I am. They apparently met in person just once during their 20-year partnership, but Cleary and Darling were simpatico from the start.

Tony DiTerlizzi of SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES fame, who organized the show at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, made the case to the publisher that there was an audience ready to read Cleary’s books exactly as they first appeared, with Darling’s pen-and-ink drawings perfectly evoking the kids, pets, and parents around Klickitat Street. The six hardcover reissues were inspired by a museum exhibition devoted to the work of Louis Darling, the illustrator who worked with Beverly Cleary from her 1950 debut, HENRY HUGGINS, through RUNAWAY RALPH in 1970, the year he died of cancer. They have been selling swiftly at Interabang and are currently featured in the kids’ display “New Year / Old Favorites.' Last fall, Cleary’s publisher gave her legions of fans a great gift by reissuing some of her classics in new editions that restore the illustrations by Louis Darling, who gave generations of readers their first look at Henry Huggins, Beezus, and Ribsy.

No teacher has ever had to assign Beverly Cleary books children sample a few sentences and they just know.

Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary