Realistic fiction

Dear Mr. Henshaw
by Beverly Cleary

Realistic fiction

Grade level: 5th and 6th

This book is about a boy named Leigh Botts that writes to an author named Mr. Henshaw. Leigh starts writing to Mr. Henshaw in the second grade after Leigh's teacher reads Ways to Amuse a Dog written by Mr. Henshaw. Leigh continues to write to Mr. Henshaw up through the 6th grade, at that point he writes and sends 10 questions to the Mr. Henshaw as a class assignment and the Mr. Henshaw sends 10 question to Leigh.

Leigh's mom and dad are divorced. His dad is a truck driver and mom is works part time and takes college classes. Leigh enters a class writing contest and wins honorable mention. The prize is, Leigh gets to go to dinner with a famous author that knows Mr. Henshaw. The author said Leighs writing strenth was that he wrote like himself and didn't try to write like someone else.

This book is easy and fun to read it hits home with many kids today with the fact that divorce is on the rise. Leigh shows that kids can speak their feelings through their writing. (Jack McGuire)

Cleary, Beverly. Mr. Henshaw. New York: Dell Publishing, 1983

ISBN: 0-440-21934-5