I enjoy participating in Children's Classics at 5 Minutes for Books every month but this month's dog theme stumped me.I wanted to read this month's book with William, who has dived into chapter books with a voracious appetite, but I couldn't think of a dog book where the dog doesn't die! And with an almost 6 year old beginner reader (not to mention a nursing and hormonal momma!), we did NOT need to read Old Yeller or Where the Red Fern Grows!! The last thing we want in this house right now is a book where the dog dies!!
So I did what any smart momma would do - I asked the children's librarian for a book recommendation. You know what? She was stumped, too!!! So she did what any smart librarian would do, she popped online and searched for dog books (I should have asked if she Twittered it but I thought of it too late).
After a few minutes online she recommended Henry and Ribsy by Beverly Cleary. Of course! How could I have forgotten about Beverly Cleary?!
Will loved Henry and Ribsy; and so did I. As the momma of 3 boys, I can attest that Mrs. Cleary perfectly captures the adventurous spirit of a young boy and his love for his dog.
In each chapter Henry and Ribsy get into a new delima. Like when Ribsy steals the policeman's lunch out of his open police car. Or when Ribsy brings down the wrath of the whole PTA for scarring poor Ramona (who wasn't scarred at all). And then Ribsy causes the neighbor to lose his salmon while fishing. Trouble just seems to find Ribsy and Henry through no fault of their own!
Because of Henry and Ribsy William is convinced that he needs to go salmon fishing and catch a Chanook of his own. He has also practiced "double spitting" though the gaps left by his missing teeth - just like Henry. And he's all for getting a dog! (um, NO.)
We quickly finished Henry and Ribsy and, just as quickly, read Ribsy. which was followed by Henry Huggins. Soon we will add Henry and the Paper Route, Henry and Beezus and Henry and the Clubhouse to our list of "Read It." In fact, Will's birthday is in May and I'm thinking a set of Henry books is in his future!These books are a delight for moms and boys to read together. I'm sure girls would also enjoy the stories though I think boys will relate to Henry more. I highly recommend any book containing Henry and Ribsy.
And the best part? No dog dies!!
11 comments:
thanks for the recommendations...might be a good idea as we travel this summer!
I love it! ANd you know the author of the story lived in Portland which is onnnly 1 1/2 hours away and wouldn't THAT make for a fun family vacation!?
(And shouldn't *I* feel impressed to drive 1 1/2 hours north and do the tour of duty myself?!)
I also was stumped by this month's theme and completely forgot about Beverly Cleary! Another one for the TBR list!
This looks so great! I'm totally going to read it-either this summer or maybe next week for "turn off the tv week". Yes, I really think I'm going to do it!
Someone else picked this one too!!
Clifford
We read Ribsy and my girls loved it! We really need to go back and read Henry and Ribsy (and the others, too, of course!).
I'm glad to hear it was good. I got my son Henry Hudgins to read when we get to it. It was at our local christian book store and it was by Beverly Cleary so I had to buy!
I had 4 boys and we, too loved all of Beverly Cleary's books. Especiall Ribsy.
Now I have grandsons.... I think I'll get these for them this year.
I can agree with Amy - girls love Henry and Ribsy, too! My girls cackled with delight and begged for more than our scheduled chapter for each day.
I just requested Ribsy on paperbackswap! Can't wait to read it with my dog-loving girls. :)
One of my favorite books when I was a little boy in the early 80s, and I wanted to go chinook fishing after reading it, too. I got my stepson to read it a few years ago. My favorite part was always when Henry, his father, and Mr. Grumby were in the little boat fishing. It always seemed so cozy to be bundled up in a little boat on the water in cold weather, eating sandwiches and hot soup, and then after his fight with the fish, getting wrapped up in the "autorobe". We live a long way from any chinook salmon, and don't get too much cold weather here on the Texas coast, but when the weather does get cold, I love taking the family out in our canoe on Galveston Bay, all bundled up, to catch seatrout and flounder. Aw, you gotta get your boy a dog! A boy's childhood is incomplete without a scruffy, friendly, and loyal mutt accompanying him on his adventures.
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