Louis Darling: Drawing the Words of Beverly Cleary

The museum marks author Beverly Cleary’s 100th birthday with the exhibition Louis Darling: Drawing the Words of Beverly Cleary. Darling’s iconic images brought Cleary’s beloved characters Ramona, Beezus, Henry Huggins, Ellen Tibbets, and Ralph S. Mouse to life. As an illustrator at William Morrow and Company, Darling was assigned to Cleary’s first book, Henry Huggins, in 1950, beginning their twenty-year association. Darling illustrated most of Cleary’s early books, and though the stories have since been re-illustrated, it was Darling’s vision—matched with Cleary’s words—that helped define these stories as modern classics. The exhibition features preliminary sketches, finished artwork, correspondence between author and illustrator, and period photographs. 

Support for this exhibition was generously provided by HarperCollins Children’s Books.