When beloved children’s author Beverly Cleary passed away at the age of 104 , readers from around the world took to social media to thank the prolific author for her work.

Cleary sold over 91 million books in over 20 countries and 14 languages . Among her many accolades, she won the National Book Award , the Newbery Medal and the National Medal of the Arts.

Generations of readers grew up with Cleary’s characters, like Henry Huggins and Ralph S. Mouse, but she’s perhaps best known for creating the feisty Ramona Quimby.

Ramona was famous for her big feelings , impulsiveness, and humor. She was unapologetically herself: loud, brash, intelligent, and demanding. She didn’t ask others to accept her in spite of her personality; she demanded acceptance because of it.

Through Ramona’s eyes, Cleary tackled emotional topics like unemployment, family arguments, jealousy, and the loss of pets. Ramona and Cleary let young readers know that they weren’t alone in experiencing these things.

It’s no wonder, then, that parents are offering emotional tributes to Cleary and her characters, especially Ramona. Cleary and Ramona didn’t just shape their readers’ childhoods—they had a lasting impact on how many of us parent our own children.