beverly cleary was born beverly atlee bunn in mcminnville, oregon. when she was 6, her family moved to portland, oregon, where she went to grammar and high school. she was slow in learning to read, partly because she did not like the books the school wanted her to read, and partly due to an unkind first grade teacher. it was not until she was in third grade that she found enjoyment from books, when she started reading "the dutch twins" by lucy fitch perkins. from then on, she visited the library often, though she rarely found the books she most wanted to read — those about children like herself.