Dear Mr. Henshaw

Cleary, B.  (1983).  Dear Mr. Henshaw.  NY:  Morrow.

Leigh Botts, a young boy in second grade, was fascinated by books written by Mr. Henshaw, a famous author.  As Leigh grew older, he continued to write letters to Mr. Henshaw about anything and everything that was bothering him.  Mr. Henshaw responded sometimes to Leigh's letters.  He gave Leigh an idea of using a diary to write in daily.  Leigh took to that idea and wrote about all his troubles, including his divorced parents, absent father, being lonely in a new school and the mystery lunch bag thief.  The diary seemed to help Leigh sort through his emotions and become a writer, which is what he aspired to be.  The main character in this story has all the problems of a typical young boy.  Readers can easily relate to all the situations, from divorce to being lonely.  By the end, Leigh has grown and matured into a young man who is able to sift through his emotions.   The plot is true to life and keeps readers engaged, as this could easily be the story of their own life.