Ribsy, Beverly Cleary, William Morrow & Co, 1964, 220 pp
I have been following Henry Huggins all the way from the beginning in My Big Fat Reading Project. Henry is the owner of Ribsy, perhaps the world's most wonderful dog. This book is the 6th and final one in the Henry Huggins series, so it is sadly time to say goodbye.
Only one real life dog has ever won my heart. Nipper was the dog of my best neighborhood friend. I longed for a dog but pets that could run around were not allowed in our house. I must have missed my moment because I have had no love for dogs in my adult life.
Ribsy, who is the star of this story, put me back to my 11 year old self when I loved Nipper. The magic of the book is that Beverly Cleary tells it all through Ribsy's point of view. Boy, does she do a great job of it!
She made me love this dog as he tries to find his way home after getting lost. Lassie will make even the most hard-hearted human cry, but Ribsy made me laugh out loud, even as I followed his difficult days looking for Henry.
PS: I just checked and Beverly Cleary is 102 years old. Her birthday is April 12th, so almost 103!!
I hope I can live to be as old as Beverly Clearly!
ReplyDeleteReally? When I was a kid I wanted to live to 100. Now I am not so sure because being that old doesn't look like fun. We will see!
DeleteIt would really depend on my health honestly. If I was in good health then yeah but not if I had to live in bad health.
DeleteYes, that is my outlook as well.
DeleteMy children and I loved her Ramona books. Beverly Cleary is a national treasure.
ReplyDeleteShe put fun into reading for kids and changed the landscape forever.
DeleteHow enchanting! I just finished Tomorrow, a book told from the point of view of a two- hundred plus year-old dog.
ReplyDeleteI am happy to know you are reading!
DeleteI think dog-loving often starts as a kid so if you miss that ... then a real Ribsy has a hard time later of meandering into one's heart. I admit I grew up with both cats & dogs and I've been smitten ever since. I hope Beverly keeps right on going ....
ReplyDeleteI think you are right. Lots of my friends have dogs and I have been doing better lately becoming friends with their dogs too!
DeleteI love Cleary's books so much. I choose them for reading out loud to my students, or for smaller guided reading groups. They show their ages sometimes, but my students have really been interested in them and what things "used to be like"...they were forever confused about how in "The Mouse and the Motorcycle" why there was no pharmacy open 24 hours a day. it was pretty amusing.
ReplyDeleteI love that your students want to know what things "used to be like!" Cleary is one of the best.
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