Character Analysis
Miss Neely, the school librarian, is one of the first to notice Leigh at the new school:
She handed me your new book and said I could be the first to read it. [...] She said she knew how much I love your books [...]. Now I know Mr. Fridley isn't the only one notices me. (29.2)
She's also the one who spurs him on to write something for the Young Writers competition:
When I told her I hadn't [written anything], she said I still had twenty-four hours and why didn't I get busy? (54.1)
Leigh sure has a lot of adults looking out for him. It's our sneaking suspicion that Mom filled the school staff in on the divorce and move and how it's affecting Leigh. That way they can give him a little extra TLC. If it hadn't been for Miss Neely, Leigh would never have learned that he's a real author.
Beverly Clearly was a school librarian herself. She knows that librarians rule.