Dear Mr. Henshaw
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 Dear Mr. Henshaw book cover |
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| Author | Beverly Cleary |
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| Illustrator | Paul O. Zelinsky |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Young adult |
| Publisher | HarperCollins |
| Released | August 1983 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 144 pp |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-688-02405-X |
Dear Mr. Henshaw is a juvenile novel by Beverly Cleary which was awarded the Newbery Medal in 1984.
[edit] Plot summary
The character of Boyd Henshaw is a novelist who does not actually appear in the book. The story is actually about Leigh Botts, a young boy who lives with his divorced mother and misses his father. The beginning of the book is a collection of letters written from Leigh to Mr. Henshaw, his favorite author. The letters show a progression as Leigh grows up. They also reflect his desire to become a writer.
As the book progresses, the format changes from letters to diary entries. Although we never see Mr. Henshaw's reply, Mr. Henshaw apparently answered at least one of Leigh's letters and suggested that if he wanted to be a writer the best thing to do would be to write in a diary every day. At first Leigh's diary entries take the form of unsent additional letters to Mr. Henshaw, even beginning with the salutation, "Dear Mr. Pretend Henshaw." But as he matures, Leigh eventually decides that he does not need to do this and begins keeping his diary only for himself.
The diary reveals Leigh's feelings of loneliness at his school, detail his troubles with an unknown schoolmate secretly stealing his lunch before lunchtime, and most of all address the feelings of sorrow he has over his parents' divorce and his father's absence.
[edit] Audience
Unlike many of Cleary's novels, Dear Mr. Henshaw does not fit into any other series or continuity. It did eventually spawn a sequel many years later, however, titled Strider. Also, while most of Cleary's children's novels take place in or near Portland, Oregon, Dear Mr. Henshaw takes place in California.
For teachers who might use this book in the classroom, it appeals to fourth and fifth grade students. The main character is in the second grade but progresses to sixth grade in less than 10 pages.
| Preceded by Dicey's Song |
Newbery Medal recipient 1984 |
Succeeded by The Hero and the Crown |
| Books by Beverly Cleary | ||
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Ramona Quimby series: Beezus and Ramona • Ramona the Pest • Ramona the Brave • Ramona and Her Father • Ramona and Her Mother • Ramona Quimby, Age 8 • Ramona Forever • Ramona's World Henry Huggins series: Henry Huggins • Henry and Beezus • Henry and Ribsy • Henry and the Paper Route • Henry and the Clubhouse • Ribsy The Mouse and the Motorcycle series: The Mouse and the Motorcycle • Runaway Ralph • Ralph S. Mouse Other books: Ellen Tebbits • Otis Spofford • Fifteen • The Luckiest Girl • Jean and Johnny • Sister of the Bride • Mitch and Amy • Socks • Dear Mr. Henshaw • Lucky Chuck • A Girl from Yamhill: A Memoir • Muggie Maggie • Strider • Petey's Bedtime Story • My Own Two Feet • The Hullabaloo ABC |
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