Henry Huggins (50th Anniversary Edition) 
asked by blueoasis on November 14, 2006 8:50 PM
Nothing ever happens to Henry Huggins. Nothing, that is, until a stray dog named Ribsy comes into his life. Pretty soon, Henry and Ribsy are wreaking havoc on the city bus, getting a ride in a police car with sirens wailing, and winning a prize at the dog show. Thanks to their joint shenanigans, Henry finds himself covered in green paint one day, and later accidentally colors Ribsy's fur pale pink. One week, Henry catches earthworms for his fisherman neighbor to raise money for a borrowed ball Ribsy helped him lose. One football costs a lot of earthworms--1,395, to be exact. Plus 41 worms for tax. Life is no longer dull.
Beverly Cleary's lively, award-winning books virtually shout "good, old-fashioned fun!" Since 1950, Henry and his friends (found in Beezus and Ramona and Newbery Honor Book Ramona and Her Father, among others) have displayed all the mixed-up emotions and tricky jams kids everywhere seem to experience. Henry's action-packed days are captured in droll line drawings by Louis Darling. Luckily for young readers, there are dozens of Cleary books to explore as soon as this one is devoured. (Ages 8 to 12) --Emilie Coulter
Reviews
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I never did read much Cleary growing up...but since the Girl is having some trouble getting into book, I thought this might be a good one for her...and I was right, she absolutely LOVED it. Henry Huggins (like How to Eat Fried Worms) is a bit dated, since it was written in 1949, but the overall feel and character of the story is pretty much timeless. We are presented with a typical neighborhood, family, kids, neighbors of the time that, despite the way we live life today, is presented in a way that is still accessible to kids today (even those not living in suburban neighborhoods. Henry is a typical boy who wants a bit of excitement in his life...and finds it while browsing at the local convenience store, in the form of Ribsy as skinny mutt who he decides to take home (with his mother's permission of course)...on the BUS! This is first of 5 adventures that Henry and Ribsy encounter as they go on through the book (we also get raising guppies, catching thousands of night crawlers, a charming look at Christmas pageants and snow from a 9 year olds perspective, the dog show, and the prospect of Henry having to give up Ribsy). Each is charming and still endearing more than 50 years after it was originally written. We are presented with stories that show Henry as honest and hard working, we learn to have compassion for others and that doing the right thing is always important...all in a humorous and realistic way that doesn't feel like the message is being shoved down our throats! I give it a solid A, even after 50+ years, Henry Huggins is fine reading for 8-10 year olds!
reviewed by onthemic on November 22, 2006 5:23 PM
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I loved this book.I love Beverly Cleary. I think this is her best book. Henry is a fifth grader, and I am too, so it is cool. Everything Henry and Ribsy do, you can picture yourself doing.
reviewed by mags on November 25, 2006 2:09 PM