Beverly Cleary first wrote about D.E.A.R. in her book, Ramona Quimby, Age 8.

Having your own D.E.A.R. is simple: choose a set amount of time (as little or as long as you’d like) for everyone to drop everything and read. You get to participate too.

No chores. No schoolwork. No homework, housework, or obligations.

Drop Everything And Read!

Beverly Cleary passed away in March 2021, and we honor her memory by carrying on our own practice of D.E.A.R. in our homes.

Getting ready:

There’s no need to complicate this, but it’s a good idea to prepare for your D.E.A.R. by getting some snacks ready. (Life is better when snacks are involved, right?)

Popping a giant bowl of popcorn or busting out a fresh box of popsicles isn’t a bad idea. Of course, you could always do like Ramona and serve a bowl of apples, with a bite taken from every one!

There are no rules here.

You can read anything you like for D.E.A.R., and it can last as little or as long as you’d like.

And while April 12th (Beverly Cleary’s birthday) is generally favored as the “official” D.E.A.R. Day, you may just enjoy it well enough to make it a part of your daily routine.

Have fun and D.E.A.R!

Favorite books from Beverly Cleary:

The Mouse and the Motorcycle
Ramona the Pest
Henry Huggins
The Henry and Ribsy Box Set: Henry Huggins, Henry and Ribsy, Ribsy
The Ramona Quimby Collection
The Henry Huggins Audio Collection
The Ralph S. Mouse Audio Collection
Ramona the Pest
Ribsy
The Ramona Collection, Vol. 1: Beezus and Ramona / Ramona the Pest / Ramona the Brave / Ramona and Her Father [4 Book Box set]
The Beverly Cleary Audio Collection
Dear Mr. Henshaw
Runaway Ralph
Beezus and Ramona
Henry and Ribsy
A Girl from Yamhill
Ramona’s World
Socks
Emily’s Runaway Imagination
Just for Me: My Ramona Quimby Journal
Ramona and Her Father
My Own Two Feet: A Memoir

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