This past Thursday, beloved children’s author Beverly Cleary died, as told in a press statement from Harper Collins. She passed away peacefully in her home in Carmel, California, where she had been living for over sixty years. No cause of death was given. She was 104.

Authors across the world mourn her death, including decorated writer Judy Blume, who writes on Twitter,

“Beverly Cleary! My inspiration. I wanted to write books like yours. I so regret never having met you. You will not be forgotten.”

Cleary was well loved for her series Beezus and Ramona, a set of eight novels following two sisters. Ramona and Her Father went on to win a Newbury Award in 1978, followed by another for Ramona Quimby, Age 8 in 1982. Overall, her books have won over thirty awards. In 2000, the Library of Congress named her a “living legend.”

When interviewed by TODAY on what she was most proud of, she said “the fact that children love my books.”

Feature Image VIA Harper Collins