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    Henry and Ribsy
    Henry and Ribsy
    Henry and Ribsy
    Ebook124 pages1 hour

    Henry and Ribsy

    By Beverly Cleary and Jacqueline Rogers

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    About this ebook

    In this humorous and heartfelt novel from Newbery Medal-winning author Beverly Cleary, the bond between a boy and his dog proves strong, as Henry vows to stick up for Ribsy…even if he is a trouble-maker!

    From the first moment Henry found Ribsy, the curious mutt was poking his nose into things he shouldn't be. Whether terrorizing the garbage man, chasing cats, or gobbling Ramona Quimby's ice-cream cone, Henry's four-legged pal has walked himself into one problem too many.

    So when Henry asks his dad if he can go along on the big fishing trip, Mr. Huggins agrees, but on one condition: Ribsy must stay out of mischief for two whole months. Henry is confident in his loyal dog…until Ribsy goes overboard with his appetite for chaos—literally!

    Don't miss the beloved classic Henry Huggins books from Beverly Cleary. These are truly timeless classics that stand the test of time and still leave readers 7-13 smiling.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateOct 6, 2009
    ISBN9780061972201
    Author

    Beverly Cleary

    Beverly Cleary is one of America's most beloved authors. As a child, she struggled with reading and writing. But by third grade, after spending much time in her public library in Portland, Oregon, she found her skills had greatly improved. Before long, her school librarian was saying that she should write children's books when she grew up. Instead she became a librarian. When a young boy asked her, ""Where are the books about kids like us?"" she remembered her teacher's encouragement and was inspired to write the books she'd longed to read but couldn't find when she was younger. She based her funny stories on her own neighborhood experiences and the sort of children she knew. And so, the Klickitat Street gang was born! Mrs. Cleary's books have earned her many prestigious awards, including the American Library Association's Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, presented to her in recognition of her lasting contribution to children's literature. Dear Mr. Henshaw won the Newbery Medal, and Ramona Quimby, Age 8 and Ramona and Her Father have been named Newbery Honor Books. Her characters, including Beezus and Ramona Quimby, Henry Huggins, and Ralph, the motorcycle-riding mouse, have delighted children for generations.

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    Reviews for Henry and Ribsy

    4/5

    244 ratings11 reviews

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    • 4/5
      An older book that has stood the test of time - funny with situations that kids this age can still relate to. My son and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it together.
    • 4/5
      This book is part of a series taking place in Portland Oregon. The mischievous characters appeal to children and adults alike throughout the years.  The reader is entertained throughout the book by the adventures of Henry and his dog Ribsy and their friends. It is always fun to read a book that takes place that is familiar to the reader. I thought the dog was really funny with all of his mishaps, but it was neat to see how a negative situation turned into something positive for Henry in the end. Great book for dog owners!! I also think boys would really enjoy this book, they can relate to the relationships with family, friends and the dog.
    • 4/5
      Henry Huggins feels it's high time he was allowed to go along on one of his father's fishing trips. Mr. Huggins agrees on one condition: Henry must keep his dog, Ribsy, out of trouble from now until the next trip. Sounds like a fair enough deal, but Henry soon learns it may not be so easy in Henry and Ribsy by author Beverly Cleary.In the words of Henry himself: boy, oh, boy! This little span of less than two months is quite an adventure. Ribsy is such a mix of four-legged, tail-wagging fun and well-enough-meaning mischief. I even became heartbreakingly frightened for him at one point (you know, in the curious way it's possible to feel heartbreak and fright while reading a pleasant children's tale.)Besides the goings-on with Ribsy, it's something to watch Henry navigate some relatable joys and trials of childhood: trying to keep up with and impress an older kid, wanting to get all the mileage he can out of his loose teeth, despairing at a bad haircut that makes him "look all chewed." Yes, you can empathize with Henry's frustration in those moments when grownups don't understand and won't listen—and his surprised relief when they do.This book had me laughing so hard at times that I couldn't go on until I could go on, especially when it came to the antics of a certain little neighbor of Henry's, Ramona Geraldine Quimby. It might be cheating that Ramona got my biggest laugh here, given that she's my longtime favorite Cleary character and this is one of Henry's stories. But, gee! I couldn't help cracking up!I plan to read at least one more Henry book pretty soon.
    • 5/5
      ISBN 0380709171 – Beverly Cleary is one tough author to dislike. She’s got writing for children down pat, and her books appeal to boys as well as girls – that’s no small feat in world where everyone looks at Goosebumps as “boys’ books” and the Babysitters Club as “girls’ books”. Cleary simply does “children’s books” and does them well.Henry would like very much to go fishing with his father, at the very least so that he can catch a really big Chinook to show up Scooter. Mr. Huggins even agrees to take Henry along, on one condition: keep Ribsy out of trouble until then. Piece of cake! thinks Henry. Blindly loving his dog, he cannot imagine that keeping such a good dog out of trouble would require much effort at all. But Ribsy is Ribsy and, despite Henry’s confidence, Ribsy just can’t seem to help himself. Fantastically funny stuff! The trouble Ribsy can manage to get into never fails to make me laugh, even after all these years. While times have changed and your children probably don’t wander the neighborhood quite as freely as these kids do, children and dogs stay pretty much the same and, man, are they fun. The series of suggestions for how Henry should pull out his loose teeth is, alone, worth the price of the book. Get it for your kid – and be sure to read it, again, yourself.- AnnaLovesBooks, 2008
    • 5/5
      Henry and Ribsy is divided into 7 chapters and each works like a short story and all 7 weave together to build up to the larger tale and just like Henry Huggins, this book is a hilariously fun read!! As you read this book you'll find yourself wondering; Does a dog go to jail if he steals a cop's lunch? What happens if your dog thinks he is protecting your most precious possessions when the garbage man comes to collect the trash? What should your mother do when she gives you the worst home hair cut ever? What is the best way to pull out your loose canine teeth? What do you do when Ramona says the bone is a sammich and the dog wants it back? And will Henry be able to keep Ribsy out of trouble for two months so he can go salmon fishing with his father in September...and most importantly, if he does, will he catch that Chinook salmon he's been dreaming of? Henry and Ribsy is still as fresh and fun as when it was written 1954...it does have a quaint 50's feel to it (kind of a Beaver Cleaver and family feel), but that's a good thing in this case...just good wholesome, FUN reading, heck even my daughter loved it! I rate it an A+ and recommend the adventures of Henry and Ribsy to all young readers!
    • 3/5
      More earnest adventures and hilarious mishaps ensue in this Henry Huggins book. As with the introductory book featuring the irrepressible Henry, who never understands how he gets into so much trouble, most of the book is a series of vignettes featuring everyday encounters that are humorous and entertaining. This book has an overarching plot, though: Henry really wants to go fishing with his father, but his dad makes a deal with him that he has to keep Ribsy out of trouble for the two months before his next trip. This goal shapes his interactions with his dog and his friends for the remainder of the book, and the happy conclusion to his vigilant care is a fishing trip that concludes the story. Henry tries to keep Ribsy from bothering others, but that isn't an easy job. Ribsy does attack the garbage man; of course, that's because he thinks the garbage is Henry's personal property and he is protecting it. Ribsy does get blamed for chasing Ramona up the jungle gym; the reader knows, though, that Ramona stole Ribsy's bone and climbed up the play structure to keep it away from him, and Ribsy is just trying to get it back. Others may think that Ribsy is a menace, but Henry knows that he is a good dog, and his parents know it, as well. In the end, Henry is allowed to go on his fishing trip, but Ribsy makes sure to enliven that experience, too. Another fun Beverly Cleary series. I love Henry's character. He is the quintessential little boy, who plays football and loves his dog and catches animals. Not all boys are like this, but a lot are, and Henry is iconic of boyhood. He has so much energy, and he is good natured. His childish innocence and immaturity is a delight. When he and his friends are together, I really believe that I am eavesdropping on a group of children. Cleary is a master at capturing a child's thoughts, feelings, and actions. Not to leave Ribsy out - because he is just as big a character as Henry - the dog is fantastic. He is loyal, but disobeys when he might get some food out of it; he is sweet but bumbling and prone to accidents. The pair of them create a good story. I intend on reading the rest of the books that feature this silly duo.
    • 4/5
      A wonderfully sweet children's book written by Beverly Cleary. The whole story revolved around Henry keeping his dog, Ribsy, out of trouble so that his father would take him on a fishing trip. Ribsy, of course, does not cooperate and the escapades were fun to read about. I also enjoyed reading about one of my favorite characters, Ramona, as a troublesome toddler. A fun diversion from heavy reading!
    • 5/5
      it was amazing super cool well done Mr. Beverly Cleary I don't know what to say sir but your books are so good keep making more please I hope you have more ideas for henry huggins bye love your books
    • 3/5
      Seven short-story like chapters about Henry Huggins and his dog, Ribsy. Nothing profound here, just light, occasionally funny tales about a boy, his friends, and his dog. For a book written in 1954 it has aged remarkably well.
    • 4/5
      I read this book aloud to my daughters.Cleary was one of my favourite authors as a child. Even though this book was originally written over 50 years ago, it is just as enjoyable to today's children as it was back then. My elder daughter was amazed at how Henry was allowed to go to the store alone, stay back on land alone while his father went fishing, etc. It is certainly a different world today!! We chuckled when reading that Henry was excited that his allowance was raised to 40 cents a week.It's hard to go wrong with a Cleary book.
    • 3/5
      This is a sweet book about a boy and his dog and the difficulty of having pets. I wanted to read this because, while I read all of Cleary's books about Ramona, I had never read any of her others. It was great to see her fresh and wonderful writing from the perspective of a little boy.

    Book preview

    Henry and Ribsy - Beverly Cleary

    1

    RIBSY AND THE LUBE JOB

    One warm Saturday morning in August, Henry Huggins and his mother and father were eating breakfast in their square white house on Klickitat Street. Henry’s dog Ribsy sat close to Henry’s chair, hoping for a handout. While Mr. and Mrs. Huggins listened to the nine o’clock news on the radio, Henry tried to think of something interesting he could do that day. Of course he could play ball with Scooter or ride his bicycle over to Robert’s house and work on the model railroad, but those were things he could do every day. Today he wanted to do something different, something he had never done before.

    Before Henry thought of anything interesting to do, the radio announcer finished the news and four men began to sing. Henry, who heard this program every Saturday, sang with them.

    "Woofies Dog Food is the best,

    Contains more meat than all the rest.

    So buy your dog a can today

    And watch it chase his blues away.

    Woof, woof, woof, Woofies!"

    Then the sound of a dog barking came out of the radio.

    R-r-r-wuf! said Ribsy, looking at the radio.

    The announcer’s voice cut in. Is your dog a member of the family? he asked.

    He sure is! exclaimed Henry to the radio. He’s the best dog there is.

    Henry, for goodness’ sake, turn that down, said Mrs. Huggins, as she poured herself a cup of coffee. And by the way, Henry, speaking of good dogs reminds me that Mrs. Green said Ribsy ran across the new lawn she just planted. She said he left deep paw prints all the way across.

    Aw, he didn’t mean to hurt her old lawn. He was just . . . Henry remembered that Ribsy had run across the lawn because he was chasing the Grumbies’ cat. He was just in a hurry, he finished lamely. You’re a good dog, aren’t you, Ribsy?

    Thump, thump, thump went Ribsy’s tail on the rug.

    We think he’s a good dog, but the neighbors won’t if he runs across new lawns and chases cats, said Mr. Huggins.

    Henry looked sharply at his father and wondered how he knew about Ribsy’s chasing the Grumbies’ cat. At the same time he couldn’t see why Ribsy was to blame about the lawn. The cat ran across it first, didn’t she? Well, anyway, Ribsy doesn’t keep everybody awake barking at night, like that collie in the next block, said Henry.

    Just the same, you better keep an eye on him. We don’t want him to be a nuisance to the neighbors. Mr. Huggins laid his napkin beside his plate. Well, I guess I’ll take the car down to the service station for a lube job.

    That gave Henry an idea. Here was his chance to do something he had never done before, something he had always wanted to do when his father had the car greased.

    Oh, boy, I . . . Henry paused because it occurred to him that his mother might not like his idea. He had better wait and ask his father when they got to the service station. Can I go? he asked eagerly.

    Sure, answered Mr. Huggins. Come along.

    Woofies Dog Food is the best, sang Henry, as he and Ribsy climbed into the front seat of the car. Henry sat in the middle beside his father, because Ribsy liked to lean out the window and sniff all the interesting smells. Henry was happy to be going someplace, even just to the service station, with his father. He always had a grown-up, man-to-man feeling when they were alone together. He wished his father had time to take him places more often.

    As they drove toward the service station they passed the Rose City Sporting Goods Shop, where Henry noticed the windows filled with tennis rackets, golf clubs, and fishing tackle. Fishing tackle—that gave Henry a second idea. Say, Dad, he said, I was wondering if you plan to go fishing pretty soon.

    I expect I will. Mr. Huggins stopped at a red light. Hector Grumbie and I thought we’d go salmon fishing sometime in September. Why?

    How about taking me along this year? Henry tried to sound grown-up and casual.

    Mr. Huggins drove past the Supermarket and turned into Al’s Thrifty Service Station. We’ll see, he said.

    Boy, oh, boy, thought Henry, as he and Ribsy got out of the car near the grease rack. When his father said, We’ll see, he meant, Yes, unless something unusual happens. If he had said, Ask your mother, it would mean he didn’t care whether Henry went fishing or not. But—We’ll see! Henry could see himself sitting in a boat reeling in a salmon—a chinook salmon. He could see himself having his picture taken beside his fish and could hear people saying, Yes, this is Henry Huggins, the boy who caught the enormous chinook salmon.

    When Mr. Huggins had arranged with Al, the owner of the station, to have the car lubricated, he turned to Henry and said, I have to go to the bank and do a few errands. Are you coming with me or do you want to wait here?

    Henry had been so busy thinking about fishing that he had almost forgotten why he came to the filling station in the first place. He looked at the car beside the grease rack and hesitated. Maybe it was a silly idea. Still, it was something he had always wanted to do. Say . . . uh, Dad, do you suppose I could stay in the car and ride up on the grease rack?

    Mr. Huggins and Al both laughed. You know, I always wanted to do the same thing when I was a kid, said Mr. Huggins. It’s all right with me, but maybe Al won’t think it’s such a good idea.

    It’s OK with me, said Al, but once you get up there you’ll have to stay till I finish the job. It may take a while because I have to wait on customers.

    Sure, I’ll stay, agreed Henry.

    And you’re not to open the car door while you’re up there, cautioned Henry’s father.

    I won’t, promised Henry, and got back into the car. Al drove it onto the rack and then got out to fix the axle supports that held the car to the rack. He turned a handle and Henry felt the car begin to rise.

    So long, Dad, Henry called, as he and the car rose slowly into the air. He felt as if he were riding in an elevator that didn’t have a building around it. Too bad some of the boys and girls were not around to see him now.

    The car stopped and Henry could hear the pish-tush, pish-tush of the grease gun as Al worked beneath him. How different things looked from up in the air. And wouldn’t it be fun if cars could take off and drive along just this high!

    Wuf! said Ribsy, looking anxiously up at Henry as if he could not understand what the Huggins car was doing up in the air.

    It’s all right, Ribsy, said Henry. I won’t go any higher.

    Thump, thump, thump went Ribsy’s tail on the cement.

    Al left the grease rack to sell some gasoline and check someone’s oil. Ribsy, seeing that the car was not going

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