National Medal of Art Newbery medalist Beverly Cleary
was awarded the National Medal of Arts, the nation's highest honor for artistic excellence. Cleary is the second children's book author to win the award; Maurice Sendak received the medal in 1996. Cleary, who won the 1984 Newbery Medal for Dear Mr. Henshaw
(Morrow, 1983), also wrote Ramona the Pest (Morrow, 1968).