Henry Huggins (Henry, #1)

Henry Huggins (Henry Huggins #1)

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3.92 of 5 stars 3.92  ·  rating details  ·  11,181 ratings  ·  223 reviews
Genuinely funny books for children are few and far between. So when a story like Henry Huggins comes along, it comes to stay. In this irresistible boy's adventures, children everywhere see themselves.

During one unforgettable year that begins when Henry discovers a lost, hungry dog he calls Ribsy, readers will have a grand time. Before the suspenseful conclusion, they'll me...more
Hardcover, 50th Anniversary Edition, 155 pages
Published September 1st 2000 by HarperCollins (first published 1950)
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Community Reviews

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Angela
When my mom got it on CD at a book sale for our library, we got it. Then we took the train to Utah. I listened to it on the way home. The problem was that CD two was so scratched up that I had to go to CD 3. So, I had to have the Library order it for me so I could read chapters three and four. I really think that in the last chapter, Finders Keepers, was one of the most exciting of them all, where Risby, (The dog,) had to decide which boy he wanted for his master. And as I listened to the talk w...more
Christopher Salcedo
I liked this book because its about a dog and his owner.I also like this book because it is about a dog and I like dogs especially dogs as Risby (Henry Huggins dog). I know that Risby is Henry Huggins dog because in the book it states, Henry Huggins feels like nothing very exciting ever happens on Klickitat Street...until one day when a friendly dog sits down and looks pleadingly at Henry's ice-cream cone. From that moment on, Henry and his new dog, Risby, are inseparable-and together, they cau...more
Judy
Dec 11, 2011 Judy rated it 4 of 5 stars  ·  review of another edition Recommends it for: middle grade readers and their parents

The Luckiest Girl, Beverly Cleary's Young Adult novel from 1958, was one of my favorite books in my preteen years. After re-reading it a few months ago, I decided to read her middle grade books as research for the memoir I am writing. Henry Huggins was the first of these and the first book she published.

I don't remember reading it as a child but I very well may have because it is about a boy who got a dog. I wanted a dog so much when I was in third grade that I convinced my friend across the str...more
Lisa (Limarie)
This book details the adventures of Henry Huggins and his new-found dog, Ribsy. I re-read this book in preparation of introducing it to my five-year-old nephew. First, let me just say that I'm a sucker for tales about a boy and his dog. The characters are so likeable, and they sure get into some fun messes. I also really liked the introduction to this book (added in 2000; it wasn't in the edition I read as a kid). My only criticism is that I wish the updated version wouldn't have specified the m...more
Leonard
This is the 7th children's book I've read in the past ten days while we were traveling to Arizona and back. Four of these we listened to on CDs in the car while traveling, this book, Matilda by Dahl and the two books by Gary Paulson. We made those choices since we had our 7 year old grandson with us, but all four of these books are just as captivating for adults as for children. When we were getting sleepy driving and the caffeine was no longer doing it's job all we had to do was push one of the...more
Niki Clinger
This book rocks. I read it in the 3rd grade and just reread it with my cousin's kids this week when I was in DC. I can't get over how much I remembered from the book. The best part was when my cousin, his wife and my stepfather all discussed the book and it's more prominent points.

My favorite part is the little things that Henry and Ribsy get themselves into. The classic dog and boy adventures are so greatly expressed in these books, and I honestly didn't realize the book was written prior to WW...more
Tracy
Not my first reading of this, but it hasn't lost its charm over the years. Parts of it are a little dated, but overall it has aged well and is still entertaining and relevant. I hope the publishers don't try to update it to be more modern. It's okay if today's kids have to ask what a news reel is!

I think the guppy chapter is my favorite, although the fact that Mrs. Huggins is going to use those fruit jars to store fruit in again after the guppies have lived in them really grosses me out.

I love...more
Irene
Jan 19, 2013 Irene rated it 5 of 5 stars  ·  review of another edition Recommends it for: Elementary school aged kids
Shelves: children
I never did read any of the Henry Huggins books when I was a kid, and boy, did I miss out!

Isabelle said she wanted to give this book 4 1/2 stars, and when I asked her why not 5 stars, she said, "Because it wasn't long enough." So, given that the only "problem" was that the book left her wanting more, I think 5 stars is a fair rating for both of us.

I really loved how good-natured Henry is. I'm not sure how old he is in the book - maybe 5th grade? He is basically an all-around good kid. As we watc...more
Ariana
I forgot how much I loved this book. Henry Huggins brings back good memories of being a kid. Like Henry, my friends and I spent our time outside, and usually had some fun project going. Henry just seems like the kind of boy that every kid would want for a friend. He had a great dog, good business sense, and a lot of spunk. This is a great book for kids and a fun way for parents to remember the joys of being a kid.
Sara ♥
I don't know that I ever read much Beverly Cleary, but this is a really cute little book! It's about an average kid named Henry Higgins and his adventures around the town he lives in. There are six chapters, each containing a story about Henry:

1. Henry and Ribs - in which Henry finds a skinny mutt and attempts to take him home via public transportation
2. Gallons of Guppies - in which Henry buys two guppies, who end up NOT being of the same gender...
3. Henry and the Night Crawlers - in which Hen...more
Kariata Toure
I like the book Henry hugggins because you learn what responsibility and what being helpful."He has always wanted a dog of his very own and now he had found a dog that wanted him.He couldn't go home and leave a hungry on the corner and leave a hungry dog on the street corner."#10 Henry is helpful because"The dog was hungry.When Henry licked ' he licked.When Henry swallowed ' he swallowed."Hello you old dog."Henry said. "You cant haven't ice cream cone."Swish/Swish/Swish went the tail."Just one...more
Mandy Brajuha
Jun 25, 2007 Mandy Brajuha rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone, young and old
This book was one that my third grade teacher, Miss Sydenstricker read us a chapter a day of. It got me hooked on Beverly Cleary and I still love it. I can still hear Miss S reading it aloud!
Kim
Oh, how we love Beverly Cleary. I finished the Ramona series and the Ralph S. Mouse series with the boys, and I grabbed the audio CD of the first in the Henry Huggins series. The boys were SILENT in the car each time we had it in, and they laughed throughout. They were incredibly engaged in each story and asked to sit in the car to listen to more of the discs. I call that a win. This was the first time I tried legit audio books with the kids, and it was a hit. What I loved about this particular...more
Amy Randall
Feb 20, 2008 Amy Randall rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Jesse and Cait, and my brother and sister
Recommended to Amy by: Santa
I learned that getting a dog is real hard work. My brother and sister have no idea what it will take. They are both afraid of dogs but want one. They should read this book.
Maria
I'm going to confess to loving children's books and YA. I love reading these books for me and I love sharing them with children.
Surprisingly, I haven't come across this series (before now) although I know about Ramona and Beezus (from the movie). Henry is a great character on his own, and the book brings a lot of good memories of being a child and childhood friends, all the excitement and fun :-). Henry is so wonderful, just an all-round great kid and there's lot of practical lessons about grow...more
Logan
We read this about a year ago, when Logan was 5 and we enjoyed it. For myself, it reminded me how much more we valued freedom then and how we worried less about safety. Nowadays, all dogs are leashed and not allowed to indulge in any dog behavior: no barking, no prowling, no mounting, no chewing, no digging. And the lot is much the same for boys. And kids in general. No unsupervised play, few risks, no resolving their own disagreements. Sad really. But I'm glad that Logan at least got to hear ab...more
Elisabeth
Dec 28, 2012 Elisabeth marked it as noah-s-books

** 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 ba

...more
Eliza
Read this with Theo (5) a few months ago in an optimistic beginning of reading chapter books aloud at night. I thought it might be a little "old" for him, but we both enjoyed it (I had not read it, although I've read most of her books). I have several others lined up for us (Stuart Little, Charlotte's Web, The Boxcar Children, Ramona the Pest, Ralph S. Mouse), I just need to get to it and keep at it. Bedtime is so crazy. Is there a better time to read chapter books out loud together? Ida (3) lik...more
David
A really sweet, charming little gem of a book. On more than once, I found myself surprised by the depth/complexity that this harmless book delved into...nothing heavy but surprisingly human moments in a book where the parents are so picture-perfect you wonder what world it all takes place in. I will say that I was truly bothered by the ending - I don't appreciate "Finders Keepers/Losers Weepers" being the moral of such a moral little book, but that's a mere deterrent from a book that consistentl...more
Luann
This audio version of Beverly Cleary's first book, Henry Huggins, is fantastic! Neil Patrick Harris does a great job as the narrator. He really brought the book to life, and made me laugh out loud several times with his expressive voices for some of the minor characters. It's been so many years since I first read Henry Huggins that I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting it in audio. I also loved the introduction by Beverly Cleary and the interview with her at the end. My one complaint would be that the...more
Jessica Mitchell
Jessica Mitchell, 11
Henry Huggins
3 stars

This book sort of sounded like something the kids in my class would right. Didn't really sound like something that deserved to be published.
Bu-ut..
Just like all Beverly Clearly books, they have this one tug on my brain that make me want me to keep reading! This book was something that I picked up because I just finished a good book and didn't have any other ones with me at the time. So, I reckon Beverly Clearly books aren't even all that good. I was just...more
Jessie
I read this book as a kid, and recently wondered if it was REALLY as good as I remembered. Often, a re-read as an adult is a disappointing thing. You see all the mistakes you missed as a kid, the plot becomes boring, and you wonder how you even LIKED it back then. Often, all you get out of it is a tarnished memory and a sense of regret. But sometimes, you find that the book holds up against the passage of years - and collage English classes - and is every bit the gem you remember. Henry Higgins...more
Carolyn
Beverly Cleary is one of the most awesome writers ever! When I read this to the kids, I thought they might be a little less interested because this book was written in that era of innocence, the 1950's. I mean, we don't buy horsemeat to feed to our dogs anymore. But my kids loved it, and Cole couldn't wait for me to read it before bedtime. Now THAT'S the sign of a great author! We immediately went to the library to get #2 (Henry and Beezus) but it was checked out. :( Maybe I'll have to go and bu...more
Mary Beth (bibliophyte)
Originally posted on bibliophyte: http://bibliophyte.blogspot.com/2012/...

From page one, with his gloomy outlook on life and case of third grade ennui, you can't help but love Henry Huggins. His extreme propensity for accidents, combined with complete obliviousness, firmly cement Henry as one of the most memorable characters from children's lit... at least as far as I'm concerned. I remember reading about him in grade school, wishing I had a friend like him, and asking my mom for pet guppies. Sh...more
Peggy Z
Jan 28, 2010 Peggy Z rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: to all book lovers, young and old
Recommended to Peggy Z by: our older son and my sister
Shelves: children-fiction
In 1987, when our older son was 10, my sister bought him this book. He laughed so much reading it that I decided to read it myself. What a fantastic book! I can't believe that I never read it as a child. It brought back so many memories of the care free days of childhood.
Then a few years back, his high school cross country team had a garage sale and he donated this book. I was very sad to have it leave our household, but I also was happy that another child would be able to enjoy the story.
Kirei
The first book Beverly Cleary ever wrote. It is a little dated here and there, but still a great book. I love that Henry has to do things on his own (such as find places for his guppies to live.) If Henry was my kid, I know I would just buy a tank for the guppies! There is a wonderful old-fashioned feel to these books.

The pictures are not the ones I remember. They have been completely redone. They are slightly more multicultural and show kids wearing bicycle helmets.
Valerie
When I first started reading children's books, I went more or less alphabetically, so I encountered Cleary fairly early. I read as many of the Henry Huggins books as I could find, and I picked this one because it's the first, and introduces Ribsy. I'm not sure if it's the one that includes the donut robot, or the catchy jingle: I'm not even sure those are in the same book. But I remember enjoying the books, and if you want to start at the beginning...
Kim Galttana
Another read aloud from our school work. Very good and the kiddos got lots of laughs out of it. The one thing that I didn't like about it was that the young characters in the book, who were supposedly friends, spoke to each other very unkindly and it was portrayed as normal, or even funny. I had to explain to the kids that it is not normal, nor is it funny to speak to ones friends that way. Otherwise, highly entertaining and silly.
Kimberlie
My son had to read this for 3rd grade. He enjoying identifying with Henry, as they think a lot alike. We read Ch 5-6 together. I thought it seemed like several short stories compiled into one book. It was easy to take breaks after each chapter without losing track of what was happening. It was a bit overwhelming for my struggling reader because of the length, but the story and characters were entertaining.
Felicia
I am reading a few pages of this every night with Allston, it will be his firs chapter book read. We are more than halfway through it.

Allston and I finished Henry the Dog tonight, I thought it was a cute book. Allston seemed to enjoy listening to me read it at night. I wish the chapters would have been shorter so that there would have been better places to stop reading. The whole book was only three chapters.
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Henry Huggins (Paperback)
Henry Huggins (Henry Huggins, #1)
Henry Huggins (Paperback)
Henry Huggins (Paperback)
Henry Huggins (Hardcover)

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Beverly Cleary (born April 12, 1916) is the author of over 30 books for young adults and children. Her characters are normal children facing challenges that many of us face growing up, and her stories are liberally laced with humour. Some of her best known and loved characters are Ramona Quimby and her sister Beatrice ("Beezus"), Henry Huggins, and Ralph S. Mouse.

Beverly Cleary was born Beverly At...more
More about Beverly Cleary...
Ramona Quimby, Age 8 (Ramona, #6) Beezus and Ramona (Ramona, #1) The Mouse and the Motorcycle (Ralph S. Mouse, #1) Ramona the Pest (Ramona, #2) Ramona the Brave (Ramona, #3)

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