Dear Mr. Henshaw Analysis

The New KidLeigh Botts has just moved from Bakersfield, California, to Pacific Grove, California. Pacific Grove is a little town by the ocean that is super important to Mom because she's always lov...

Dear Mr. Henshaw is made up entirely of letters or diary entries written by Leigh, which means that everything is from Leigh's perspective. The only time we get another point of view is when Leigh...

Just Grow UpCalling all young adults. (Yes, we'll include you.) Step right up and see how a little boy can start out "licking" (1.1) a book so much that he writes to the author. Follow along to the...

We Get ItYou know those cards you see in the store, the ones that have flowers on the front and say "I'm sorry" or "get well soon"? Those are sympathy cards. Sympathy is when you have compassion fo...

The content of the story is deep, like ocean deep, but it's very simply written. Leigh (and Beverly Cleary) are writing like sixth-graders. Since it's all letters and diary entries, most of the cha...

Maybe the title should be Please Write to Me because Leigh really, really wants to be pen pals with Mr. Henshaw. He keeps writing and writing until he gets a response. Leigh wants to be an author,...

The ending is like one of those dark chocolate bars: bittersweet, equal parts happy and sad.This whole time we've been waiting alongside Leigh for Dad to call, write, show up, anything—just so lo...

We can relate to most of Leigh's challenges, like problems with our parents, wanting a friend, or feeling angry and sad. It helps that Leigh spells things out for us: he tells us how he's feeling a...

Dear Reader, I Am LeighLeigh is a normal kid with two parents and a dog. He's writing fan mail to his favorite author, Mr. Henshaw. Troubling Things When Mom finds Mr. Henshaw's list of questi...

Love Leigh Botts? Did you know there's a sequel? Without spoiling the story, we'll just say that he gets a new dog and a crush as he continues to figure out life without his dad. (Source)At the par...

There's absolutely no steaminess here. No kissing, no flirting; girls aren't even on Leigh's radar. At this time in his life, Leigh's focus is on his parents, school, and making friends.

Highway Patrol (14.1)The Sound of Music (51.1)California's Central Valley (11.2)Bakersfield, California (11.2)Taft, California (12.2)Spreckels Sugar Refinery (13.2)Pacific Grove, California (13.2)I...