What Is D.E.A.R. and What Does It Have to do With Beverly Cleary?

Question: What Is D.E.A.R. and What Does It Have to do With Beverly Cleary?

Answer: D.E.A.R. is the acronym for Drop Everything and Read. National Drop Everything and Read Day is an annual event, which is celebrated on April 12, the birthday of beloved children's book author Beverly Cleary. According to the official D.E.A.R. Web site, "National D.E.A.R. Day is a special reading celebration to remind and encourage families to make reading together on a daily basis a family priority."

Leaders and supporters of National Drop Everything and Read Day include: the National Education Association (NEA); Parent Teacher Association (PTA); the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA); Reading Rockets; The General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC); the Newspaper Association of America Foundation (NAA); First Book; HarperCollins Children’s Books.

In one of the popular children's books by Beverly Cleary, Ramona Quimby, Age 8, Ramona's class celebrates National D.E.A.R. Day.

"She [Beverly Cleary] included a passage about the DEAR program in Ramona Quimby, Age 8 (pages 40-41) after she received numerous letters from readers who mentioned the great reading program they were doing in class. It seemed like something Ramona’s class would do, too, so she put it in the book." (D.E.A.R. Web site)

Two of Beverly Cleary's books about Ramona, Ramona and Her Father and Ramona Quimby, Age 8 were recognized as Newbery Honor Books, in 1978 and 1982 respectively.

While many schools, libraries and bookstores celebrate National D.E.A.R. Day on April 12, you don't need an official celebration to enjoy the day. You can have your own celebration by starting a daily habit of reading aloud to your young children and reading together with your older children and teens.