Cleary, Beverly. Ribsy. HarperCollins (1992). ISBN-10: 0380709554

Plot Summary

Ribsy’s problems all began with a hungry flea. That pesky flea hid under his dog collar, biting Ribsy over and over again. Ribsy’s owner, a boy named Henry Huggins, took Ribsy’s collar off so Ribsy could have a good scratch. When the family heads over to the shopping mall, they leave Ribsy in the car. After he accidentally escapes, he gets lost without his collar. Eventually, a family full of little children takes him home. And, Ribsy’s troubles only get worse—the children of the family give him a bath!

Critical Evaluation

I have always been fond of “dog” books. Children, especially, can relate to Henry Huggins’s determination to find his missing dog. The book is easy to read, and it is holds the attention of younger readers. Both boys and girls will find this book a joy to read.

Reader's Annotation

Henry Huggins’s dog, Ribsy, gets into some trouble after discovering a flea and having his collar is removed.

About the Author

Beverly Cleary was born Beverly Bunn on April 12, 1916. Her mother, Mable, was a school teacher, and her father, Chester, was a farmer. They lived in Yamhill, Oregon, on the family farm. Beverly was the only child of the family. Growing up, Beverly’s mother taught her that reading was an important and pleasant activity. She recalls, “My mother read aloud every evening to my father and me. She read many books. She really read quite a variety of things, and I loved those evenings. I wish more people read aloud.”

Beverly’s family moved from the farm to the city of Portland, Oregon, when she was just six. During Beverly’s first year in school year, she missed many days from school for chicken pox and small pox. As a result, she began to struggle with her reading so her teacher placed her in the lowest reading group. She remembers, “I was hopelessly lost in reading.” Later, Beverly’s second grade teacher helped her improve her reading skills, but Beverly did not enjoy reading outside of school. One day, her mother found a box of books in the Sunday school basement. One book was The Dutch Twins, and Beverly finally had a book she truly enjoyed reading.

When Beverly went to college, she worked as a children’s librarian. She noticed many boring children’s books there and thought to herself, “I can write a better story than that!” When she finally began writing, she knew she wanted to write about ordinary children doing ordinary things. Her first book was a humorous book about an average boy named Henry Huggins. Mrs. Cleary wrote several books about Henry and his dog Ribsy.

Another series of books by Beverly Cleary are about a girl named Ramona. Ramona began as an extra character in the Henry Huggins stories, but her publisher suggested she write a book just about Ramona. The Ramona books are probably Cleary’s most popular books. (I loved these books when I was growing up!) Mrs. Cleary has written many other books. Most are humorous, and all are about ordinary kids. Even though some of her books were written many years ago, they are still enjoyed by readers today because they are about the funny things that happen to regular children all the time.

Genre

Fiction (humor)

Curriculum Ties

Language Arts

Booktalking Ideas

Read aloud from the book:

Water splashed all over the row of four little girls, who screamed with delight and would not let him out of the tub. Ribsy barked to tell them he did not like this one bit. . . The four little girls took their washcloths and went to work. Their efforts made Ribsy even more miserable. He was sad and he was soggy. Then two fat little hands, one of them clutching a plastic bottle, pushed between the girls. Crowing with delight at his own cleverness, George emptied an entire bottle of violet-scented bubble bath over Ribsy.

Will this bath ever end? Will Ribsy find his way back to his best friend, Henry Huggins? To read about this dog’s many adventures, check out the book Ribsy by Beverly Cleary.

Reading Level/Interest Age

Ages 9-12

Reason for Book Selection

I distinctly remember reading many Beverly Cleary books as a child. If I remember correctly, her works are what inspired me to go to the library. And, this book, in particular remind me of my own dog – a modern day Ribsy!