Beverly Cleary

[magellan333]

I was in Goodwill the other day and saw a LITB book written by Beverly Cleary. She is best known for her Ramona books and The Mouse and the Motorcycle. I didn't know she wrote and LITB books. Has anybody read any of them?

[JudgeGarth]

Actually, there were two books. In both of them they take several episodes and change the storylines somewhat to create continuity.

For example, in one of the books they use the story of the episode where Beaver lends Larry money and the two boys start feuding. Then they switch to the episode where June gives Miss Landers that naked baby picture of Beaver and he's all embarrassed. They change the storyline of the baby picture story so that it's Larry who comes to the rescue and retrieves the picture so the two can become friends again. That's not the way the real episodes went, but I guess they felt they had to make the book into one continuous story.

[magellan333]

Actually, there were two books. In both of them they take several episodes and change the storylines somewhat to create continuity.

For example, in one of the books they use the story of the episode where Beaver lends Larry money and the two boys start feuding. Then they switch to the episode where June gives Miss Landers that naked baby picture of Beaver and he's all embarrassed. They change the storyline of the baby picture story so that it's Larry who comes to the rescue and retrieves the picture so the two can become friends again. That's not the way the real episodes went, but I guess they felt they had to make the book into one continuous story.

That sure would make for a disappointing read for a tried and true fan of the show.

[TV Knowledge Fan]

...a wonderful writer (creator of the "Henry Huggins", "Beezus & Ramona" and "The Mouse On the Motorcycle" books), was authorized by MCA to create a series of paperbacks based on "LEAVE IT TO BEAVER", adapted from the original TV scripts. Naturally, she had to "tweak" the stories a bit in order to expand them to "novel" length. She did a pretty good job of doing that, even if the scenes don't completely conform to what you saw on TV.

That reminds me of what Al Hine did for "BEWITCHED", weaving the first seven TV scripts into a Dell paperback "novel" in early 1965. Of course, he had to "tweak" the storyline a bit [introducing Darrin's ad agency rival "Luke Cummings", and having Endora's husband "John Dobson" previously burned at the stake at York (England) in 1538 {Hine was not given the script that introduced Maurice, so he apparently improvised}, and Samantha having a legitimate maiden name, "Dobson" (even though the novel recreates the line when Endora warns Darrin that he'd never be able to pronounce her last name!), and the fact that by the end of the novel, Darrin and Endora have warmer relations with each other]. No other "BEWITCHED" novels were ever published....as far as I know.



:tv:

[Coffeecup]

I haven't heard of Henry Huggins books in years. I read those in grammar school and love them. Boy that name brings back memories.