Dear Mr. Henshaw Letters 1-5 Summary

Leigh Botts (who's quick to point out he's a he, not a she) writes a letter to Mr. Henshaw, the author of a funny book about a dog.
Leigh's class "licked" the book.
We're guessing he meant "liked," but you never know with second-graders.

Leigh writes Mr. Henshaw another letter. This one's much longer. Leigh is in third grade now.
He's read the book from last year for himself. It's called Ways to Amuse a Dog.
In the book, the boy's dad says he can't get a dog until he thinks up at least seven ways to amuse it.
Leigh has a black dog named Bandit.
If Mr. Henshaw writes back, Leigh gets to put the letter on the bulletin board.
He's learned how to spell "friend," but not "tutch."

Leigh is in fourth grade now.
Apparently he still loves Mr. Henshaw's book because this year he made a diorama about it.
Leigh really wants Mr. Henshaw to write him a real letter (not a generic form letter).
His fave character from Ways to Amuse a Dog is Joe's dad, who wasn't upset when Joe (the boy in the book) played a lady singing and the dog howled along.

Leigh is writing about his favorite book again.
He's thinking about how Joe let his dog go down the slide at the park and how grownups where Leigh lives would go ballistic if he did that.
We find out that Leigh lives in a mobile home park and the old people are crotchety.
On the back of the dog book is a pic of Mr. Henshaw.
Leigh writes that he wants to be an author when he grows up and have a beard like Mr. Henshaw.
He sends Mr. Henshaw his picture. No beard, but he makes sure Mr. H. knows that his hair is longer now than it was in the picture.

Leigh is in fifth grade now and does a book report on Ways to Amuse a Dog.
He gets an A-minus because he doesn't stand on both feet when he gives the report.
We're thinking the teacher didn't like the flamingo effect.