Dear Mr. Henshaw

The main idea of Beverly Cleary's Dear Mr. Henshaw revolves around a young boy named Leigh Botts, who writes letters to his favorite author, Mr. Henshaw. Through these letters, Leigh expresses his...

Leigh's dad, despite their limited contact due to his trucking job and divorce, surprises Leigh with a Christmas gift, alleviating some of his loneliness. On Christmas morning, Leigh receives a...

Leigh Botts is a self-conscious and observant boy dealing with his parents' separation. Initially feeling average and lonely, he matures through writing, becoming more insightful and diligent. Leigh...

In Beverly Cleary's novel "Dear Mr. Henshaw," the main character is Leigh Botts, a troubled sixth-grader who writes to children's author Boyd Henshaw for guidance amid his parents' divorce. Leigh's...

Leigh believes he is average in every way. He doesn't particularly like school, doesn't have many friends, and isn't good at sports. This is all because he thinks there's nothing special about him....

In Dear Mr. Henshaw, Mom is highly critical of Leigh's dad for not earning enough money to get out of the mobile home in which they live. Eventually, their money troubles create so much tension that...

In "Dear Mr. Henshaw," Leigh resolves his conflicts by expressing his feelings through letters to his favorite author, Mr. Henshaw, and through his diary. This process helps him cope with his...

Leigh and his mother initially live in a mobile home park outside of Bakersfield, California, which Leigh dislikes. After his parents' divorce, they move to a small cottage in Pacific Grove,...

Leigh's attitude towards Mr. Henshaw evolves from initial resentment to appreciation. Initially, Leigh is annoyed by Mr. Henshaw's questions and assignments, but over time, as he continues to write...

The prize in "Dear Mr. Henshaw" is the opportunity to meet a "Famous Author" by winning a writing contest for the Young Writers' Yearbook. Leigh Botts, the protagonist, struggles with creating a...

Mr. Fridley advises Leigh to avoid trouble and suggests he should try to be more positive and friendly. He points out that Leigh often scowls and is too focused on his own problems to notice that...

Leigh gets his dog when his father finds it in Nevada; the dog jumps into his father's truck while wearing a bandanna. They decide to keep the dog and name it Bandit. After Leigh's parents divorce,...

Beverly Cleary tells the story in Dear Mr. Henshaw through a boy’s letters and diary entries because they let Leigh safely express deep, unspoken feelings. The information conveyed in them also helps...

Mr. Henshaw continues to answer Leigh's questions despite his busyness because he recognizes that Leigh is a child in need of guidance. As a "very nice young man," Mr. Henshaw sincerely wants to help...

Leigh's mom refers to them as "lonely hearts" due to their shared feelings of loneliness in Beverly Cleary's Dear Mr. Henshaw. Leigh's mother is lonely after her divorce, and Leigh himself feels...

Miss Neely, the school librarian, gives Leigh Mr. Henshaw's new book, Beggar Bears, as she knows Leigh is a fan of his work. This book, which Leigh reads quickly, is about twin bear cubs in...