Dear Mr. Henshaw

Published in 1983 and winner of the 1984 Newberry Award, Beverly Cleary’s Dear Mr. Henshaw marks a departure for the novelist known for her books that celebrate the whimsy and adventurousness of childhood. Dear Mr. Henshaw is an epistolary novel, in which protagonist and aspiring author Leigh Botts narrates his story through letters and diary entries addressed to his favorite author, Mr. Henshaw. Leigh begins writing yearly letters to Mr. Henshaw in second grade but gradually increases his correspondence as he gets older and experiences the pain of his parents’ divorce, endures bullying at school, and feels a crushing sense of loneliness and abandonment.

Through his letters, Leigh not only forges a friendship with Mr. Henshaw but also learns how to hone his writing skills and find the courage to persevere through his struggles. Paul O. Zelinsky illustrated the novel, and the illustrations were never changed in subsequent editions. Zelinsky also illustrated Cleary’s 1991 sequel to Dear Mr. Henshaw, Stryder, which picks up Leigh’s story as he enters high school and continues to write in his journal. Cleary is best known for her Henry Huggins series and the award-winning Ramona series. She is the author of over 30 books, and in addition to her National Book Award for

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