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Henry Huggins #6
Ribsy
When Ribsy, a city dog, strays from Henry Huggins, he sets off a chain of hilarious events as he tries to make the best of his separation from home.
192 pages, Library Binding
First published January 1, 1964
About the author
Beverly Cleary
247 books3,262 followersBeverly Atlee Cleary was an American writer of children's and young adult fiction. One of America's most successful authors, 91 million copies of her books have been sold worldwide since her first book was published in 1950. Some of her best known characters are Ramona Quimby and Beezus Quimby, Henry Huggins and his dog Ribsy, and Ralph S. Mouse.
The majority of Cleary's books are set in the Grant Park neighborhood of northeast Portland, Oregon, where she was raised, and she has been credited as one of the first authors of children's literature to figure emotional realism in the narratives of her characters, often children in middle-class families. Her first children's book was Henry Huggins after a question from a kid when Cleary was a librarian. Cleary won the 1981 National Book Award for Ramona and Her Mother and the 1984 Newbery Medal for Dear Mr. Henshaw. For her lifetime contributions to American literature, she received the National Medal of Arts, recognition as a Library of Congress Living Legend, and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal from the Association for Library Service to Children. The Beverly Cleary School, a public school in Portland, was named after her, and several statues of her most famous characters were erected in Grant Park in 1995. Cleary died on March 25, 2021, at the age of 104.
The majority of Cleary's books are set in the Grant Park neighborhood of northeast Portland, Oregon, where she was raised, and she has been credited as one of the first authors of children's literature to figure emotional realism in the narratives of her characters, often children in middle-class families. Her first children's book was Henry Huggins after a question from a kid when Cleary was a librarian. Cleary won the 1981 National Book Award for Ramona and Her Mother and the 1984 Newbery Medal for Dear Mr. Henshaw. For her lifetime contributions to American literature, she received the National Medal of Arts, recognition as a Library of Congress Living Legend, and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal from the Association for Library Service to Children. The Beverly Cleary School, a public school in Portland, was named after her, and several statues of her most famous characters were erected in Grant Park in 1995. Cleary died on March 25, 2021, at the age of 104.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 463 reviews
August 25, 2019
It's the Year of the Dog in the Chinese Zodiac, and even though I added many new dog titles to my shelf this year in honor of my favorite animal, I am no newcomer to Ribsy.
Ribsy is my favorite story of a dog-as-protagonist, and this week's introductory read-aloud to my 7-year-old was quite possibly my. . . 10th read of this Beverly Cleary classic.
And I mean classic. Despite its publication date of 1964, this has remained a modern story, dated only when prices or salaries are mentioned.
Dang it, Ms. Cleary, you managed to do it again. Managed to show us life among the middle and lower white class neighborhoods in a decade that could have been any decade, in a town that could have been any town, focusing in on a family that could have been almost any family, here in the U.S.A.
And she uses a dog, good old Ribsy, as the lens, so to speak, that gives us vision. Through Ribsy we are able to be the fly on the wall in a diverse number of households, and through the dog's senses, we find ourselves having no judgement, just experience.
It's almost impossible to be disinterested in the journey of a lost dog, and even harder not to root for the reunion of a beloved boy, Henry Huggins, and his unflappable pooch.
There is joy. There is angst. There is the crying mother.
As a related aside. . . did you know that Beverly Cleary is still alive? On the day I am writing this review, she is 102 years old.
Ms. Cleary, I love you!
Ribsy is my favorite story of a dog-as-protagonist, and this week's introductory read-aloud to my 7-year-old was quite possibly my. . . 10th read of this Beverly Cleary classic.
And I mean classic. Despite its publication date of 1964, this has remained a modern story, dated only when prices or salaries are mentioned.
Dang it, Ms. Cleary, you managed to do it again. Managed to show us life among the middle and lower white class neighborhoods in a decade that could have been any decade, in a town that could have been any town, focusing in on a family that could have been almost any family, here in the U.S.A.
And she uses a dog, good old Ribsy, as the lens, so to speak, that gives us vision. Through Ribsy we are able to be the fly on the wall in a diverse number of households, and through the dog's senses, we find ourselves having no judgement, just experience.
It's almost impossible to be disinterested in the journey of a lost dog, and even harder not to root for the reunion of a beloved boy, Henry Huggins, and his unflappable pooch.
There is joy. There is angst. There is the crying mother.
As a related aside. . . did you know that Beverly Cleary is still alive? On the day I am writing this review, she is 102 years old.
Ms. Cleary, I love you!
January 12, 2024
Part 1 (2017): One of my favorite books as a kid was "Ellen Tibbets" by Beverly Cleary. This book about Ribsy brings the memories back of reading about Ellen and her friends. Cleary has a gift for writing books from the perspective of children and pets. This edition of "Ribsy" included an excerpt from "Socks", which will be one I will enjoy as I love cats!
Part II (2024): This time around, I read this to my grandson via Messenger. What crazy adventures Ribsy has after getting separated from Henry at the shopping mall. Violet-scented bubble baths. A red, rhinestone collar courtesy of Mrs. Frawley. Second grade mascot. A football game. His picture in the paper. Stuck on a fire escape. We wondered if he would ever find his way back to Klicktat Street. After finishing the book, we both agreed that our favorite chapter was "Ribsy Goes to a Football Game." If you love dogs, you will definitely reading about Ribsy's search for Henry Huggins. Share it with a did you know and enjoy it twice as much. 🐕🥰📚
Part II (2024): This time around, I read this to my grandson via Messenger. What crazy adventures Ribsy has after getting separated from Henry at the shopping mall. Violet-scented bubble baths. A red, rhinestone collar courtesy of Mrs. Frawley. Second grade mascot. A football game. His picture in the paper. Stuck on a fire escape. We wondered if he would ever find his way back to Klicktat Street. After finishing the book, we both agreed that our favorite chapter was "Ribsy Goes to a Football Game." If you love dogs, you will definitely reading about Ribsy's search for Henry Huggins. Share it with a did you know and enjoy it twice as much. 🐕🥰📚
August 28, 2008
The first book report I ever did was on this book in fourth grade. I had never done a book report before and had no idea what it entailed, finally assuming that it simply meant that I was to describe each and every event that happens in the book. I ended up filling an entire single-subject Mead notebook with pencilled cursive, basically rewriting "Ribsy" by Beverly Clearly in my own words. Apparently my teacher didn't understand the concept behind a book report either, or maybe she just felt bad, because I got an A. Subsequent book reports incorporating this process were not nearly as successful.
February 3, 2018
Beyond the excellent & funny adventure, there's a great lesson in empathy. Every person or family that Ribsy gets help from is different, and kids can learn to care about all these people because Cleary is a master at characterization, even in the form of chapter-long sketches.
November 19, 2012
This is a review by Braelynn, my 7 year old (I helped type and adjust a few words as she dictated): "To all the children who might want to read this book: This story was about finding a lost dog. His name was Ribsy. His owner's name was Henry Huggins. In the beginning Henry Huggin's family went to the grocery store. Ribsy wanted to go to the grocery store too. Henry allowed Ribsy to ride in the new station wagon. When Henry Huggins got to the grocery store he left Ribsy in the station wagon. Ribsy wanted to get out of the vehicle. Ribsy had saw Henry open and shut the automatic window, so he tried to do it too. Finally, he got the window open. Ribsy jumped out. Much of the rest of the book is spent describing this dog's adventures while being lost. After many weeks, Ribsy gets locked in an apartment. Henry finds him at the apartment and is happy. He tries to get him down, but it is too high. Ribsy tries going down the steps and he did it! But they weren't together yet! Then, a guy who worked at a department store said "I have a ladder." Mr. Huggins climbed up the ladder and held onto Ribsy's waist. This was a time of panic. Ribsy fell. The man from the department store and another gentlemen caught the dog. Everybody was happy. This is the end of one of my new favorite books. It had a lot of details. I wish it told how Henry and Ribsy got home, but I liked that they came back together.
See you at the library soon!
Braelynn Ruth Feldpausch
See you at the library soon!
Braelynn Ruth Feldpausch
September 14, 2019
This was the final part of Henry series. I loved them, not as much as Ramona series, but still... It's a pity I missed these when I was little. Every time I find a good children's book I tell myself - now I know what I'll read to my children someday, and I have quite a list of those books :)
November 23, 2021
Cute story about Henry Huggins' dog Ribsy. The narrator, Neil Patrick Harris did an excellent job of projecting the different characters. Would listen to this narrator for other books.
Beverly Clearly's books are timeless.
Beverly Clearly's books are timeless.
August 16, 2009
What really keeps me going with Beverly Cleary is her insight on the way children learn and grow, and the way children interact with adults and teachers. That's why I feel her books should be part of the curriculum in teaching credential programs; they offer as much as any child psychology text. Here she gives the reader just as much careful observation into the mind of a dog when Henry Huggins's faithful Ribsy is lost for nearly a month. Because the mutt has to meet new people the reader is exposed to Cleary's piercing psychological insight and to an interesting cross section of Portland life, but I prefer the stories where Henry is the main character, and Beezus and Ramona are more than extras.
March 24, 2023
And thus ends the saga of Henry Huggins.
It began almost two years ago as I declaimed his trials of the middle of last century, digging up worms and buying a pickup truck with a pile of nickels. It ended with a boy and his dog, frozen in time, soaring over the Grand Canyon on a hang glider, evading Interpol again. (Not really, just what I would’ve wished for him.)
If you know me, you know I’m not a dog person. I was confirmed of this not long ago when a half-lab, half-kangaroo sprung out of a bush during a pleasant Central Park run and gave me my very first coronary. So you’d think I’d have blanched at a story told from a dog’s point of view. I thank Cleary for sparing me the butt-sniffing and toilet-drinking I might have expected, and was instead treated to a lovely, sweet tale of a dog having adventures with everyday people, just trying to get home. Everyone seemed to like Ribsy, even if he was a little in the way.
I love the everyman nature of these books: the people are the heart of America, solidly middle-class, just trying to do the little things to make themselves happy. I like Henry’s simple wishes: a fish tank, a clubhouse, a paper route. No magical realism here, just…life.
Most of all, I read every moment of this to Rosie. No, we weren’t enthralled as we were with The Secret Garden, but they’re different books. But it became a treat, reading out loud, her head on my shoulder, eyes drooping just before bedtime. I think, I hope, one day we’ll look back maybe not on the content, but on the experience. I know I will.
And yeah, I count this in my Goodreads Challenge. Any objections?
It began almost two years ago as I declaimed his trials of the middle of last century, digging up worms and buying a pickup truck with a pile of nickels. It ended with a boy and his dog, frozen in time, soaring over the Grand Canyon on a hang glider, evading Interpol again. (Not really, just what I would’ve wished for him.)
If you know me, you know I’m not a dog person. I was confirmed of this not long ago when a half-lab, half-kangaroo sprung out of a bush during a pleasant Central Park run and gave me my very first coronary. So you’d think I’d have blanched at a story told from a dog’s point of view. I thank Cleary for sparing me the butt-sniffing and toilet-drinking I might have expected, and was instead treated to a lovely, sweet tale of a dog having adventures with everyday people, just trying to get home. Everyone seemed to like Ribsy, even if he was a little in the way.
I love the everyman nature of these books: the people are the heart of America, solidly middle-class, just trying to do the little things to make themselves happy. I like Henry’s simple wishes: a fish tank, a clubhouse, a paper route. No magical realism here, just…life.
Most of all, I read every moment of this to Rosie. No, we weren’t enthralled as we were with The Secret Garden, but they’re different books. But it became a treat, reading out loud, her head on my shoulder, eyes drooping just before bedtime. I think, I hope, one day we’ll look back maybe not on the content, but on the experience. I know I will.
And yeah, I count this in my Goodreads Challenge. Any objections?
June 3, 2018
We’ve listened to this audiobook probably five times in the last month. My girls love it and so do I.
January 24, 2021
Worthwhile priceless read....her books are marvelous!
October 24, 2021
It all began because of a pesky flea... Actually it all begins because the Huggins family can't take proper care of their dog. It makes the story dated, actually. In the days before regular flea and tick medication, before microchips, the internet/social media... in the days when women wore high heeled shoes to go shopping and shopping plazas were busy.... Ribsy has a flea he can't reach, under his collar. As he's busy sitting outside in the rain scratching his neck, he realizes the family is taking off without him! The family goes off shopping without Ribsy in their new station wagon because Mrs. Huggins is more concerned about the car getting dirty than the living animal they left at home. Ribsy follows until Henry convinces his mother to relent. Henry removes Ribsy's collar to let him scratch and forgets to put it back on when he exits the car, leaving Ribsy alone. Ribsy escapes and goes on a wild adventure trying to get back to his boy.
This book is told entirely from Ribsy's point-of-view. Normally I like that sort of thing but it made for tough reading seeing how the family didn't treat him as they ought to. I tried to make allowances for the time period but that is hard to do in a timeless classic book like this. Ribsy's adventure had me turning the pages past the time I expected to shut off my light. I couldn't remember whether he made it home. I was horrified by some of the people he stayed with.
The first family had too many kids without supervision. Like Mrs. Quimby, the small children get away with a lot of bad behavior because the mother is too tired to supervise them. The older kids seem like they'd be OK but the youngest girl needs way more supervision than her older sisters. Poor Ribsy! He kept thinking of Ramona and how patient he is with her and how she was good practice but he'll take one squeezing small girl over 4.
The second home is killing him with kindness. The old lady meant well, she's elderly and lonely and likes the company but she also uses Ribsy as a way to show off and one-up her circle of friends.
After that Ribsy was better off and I was wondering if he would return to Henry or stay and make another child happy. After all, he left his original owner for Henry.
This book is very much for non-analytical young children. I'm sure I read it and really liked it when I was 8 or 9, before we got our beloved terrier long before the internet made me a crazy dog lady!
This book is told entirely from Ribsy's point-of-view. Normally I like that sort of thing but it made for tough reading seeing how the family didn't treat him as they ought to. I tried to make allowances for the time period but that is hard to do in a timeless classic book like this. Ribsy's adventure had me turning the pages past the time I expected to shut off my light. I couldn't remember whether he made it home. I was horrified by some of the people he stayed with.
The first family had too many kids without supervision. Like Mrs. Quimby, the small children get away with a lot of bad behavior because the mother is too tired to supervise them. The older kids seem like they'd be OK but the youngest girl needs way more supervision than her older sisters. Poor Ribsy! He kept thinking of Ramona and how patient he is with her and how she was good practice but he'll take one squeezing small girl over 4.
The second home is killing him with kindness. The old lady meant well, she's elderly and lonely and likes the company but she also uses Ribsy as a way to show off and one-up her circle of friends.
After that Ribsy was better off and I was wondering if he would return to Henry or stay and make another child happy. After all, he left his original owner for Henry.
This book is very much for non-analytical young children. I'm sure I read it and really liked it when I was 8 or 9, before we got our beloved terrier long before the internet made me a crazy dog lady!
April 6, 2021
“Ribsy” is a quick read that presents the story of Henry Huggin’s dog Ribsy and his journey to be reunited with him owner after being lost for a month.
The novel is divided into seven chapters be begins with an introduction to Ribsy who is a good well adjusted dog who is liked by all. Although Ribsy is well liked and likes everyone, he is plagued by a flea that constantly attacks him in a hard to reach spot.
After receiving a ride to the mall in the Huggin’s new green station wagon, Ribsy is content to sit in the car and wait for his family to return. Although Ribsy enjoys bark at people passing by the car, after being yapped at by a small Pomeranian named Fluffy, Ribsy escapes from the car.
Ribsy runs through the mall parking lot in an effort to find the Huggins can but due to rainy weather and colorblindness, he gets disoriented and is unable to find his family.
In the second chapter, Ribsy is taken in by the Dingly family and Ribsy gets an unexpected bath. After chaos occurs during the bath, Ribsy runs away. During this time, Henry is sick with worry over Ribsy being missing. Henry’s father tries to get Henry’s mind off of Ribsy being missing by getting another dog but Henry refuses to give up on Ribsy returning home.
In chapter three, Ribsy meets Mrs. Fawley. Although Mrs. Fawley treats Ribsy well, he soon misses life with Henry and he eventually run away.
In the fourth chapter, Ribsy follows a group of children and ends up becoming the a mascot for a second grade class. After a raucous encounter with a squirrel during a show and tell, he is removed from the school.
In chapter fifth and sixth chapters, Ribsy goes to a football games and in the process, he becomes famous. During this time, Ribsy stays with a boy named Joe Saylor and at this time, Henry has regained hope of finding Ribsy.
The seventh and final chapter has Ribsy taking his first elevator ride as well as his first encounter on a fire escape. By the end of the novel, Ribsy and the Huggin’s family have a deeper appreciation for each other.
This was a entertaining book and a very quick read. The storyline is easy to follow and has colorful characters.
The novel is divided into seven chapters be begins with an introduction to Ribsy who is a good well adjusted dog who is liked by all. Although Ribsy is well liked and likes everyone, he is plagued by a flea that constantly attacks him in a hard to reach spot.
After receiving a ride to the mall in the Huggin’s new green station wagon, Ribsy is content to sit in the car and wait for his family to return. Although Ribsy enjoys bark at people passing by the car, after being yapped at by a small Pomeranian named Fluffy, Ribsy escapes from the car.
Ribsy runs through the mall parking lot in an effort to find the Huggins can but due to rainy weather and colorblindness, he gets disoriented and is unable to find his family.
In the second chapter, Ribsy is taken in by the Dingly family and Ribsy gets an unexpected bath. After chaos occurs during the bath, Ribsy runs away. During this time, Henry is sick with worry over Ribsy being missing. Henry’s father tries to get Henry’s mind off of Ribsy being missing by getting another dog but Henry refuses to give up on Ribsy returning home.
In chapter three, Ribsy meets Mrs. Fawley. Although Mrs. Fawley treats Ribsy well, he soon misses life with Henry and he eventually run away.
In the fourth chapter, Ribsy follows a group of children and ends up becoming the a mascot for a second grade class. After a raucous encounter with a squirrel during a show and tell, he is removed from the school.
In chapter fifth and sixth chapters, Ribsy goes to a football games and in the process, he becomes famous. During this time, Ribsy stays with a boy named Joe Saylor and at this time, Henry has regained hope of finding Ribsy.
The seventh and final chapter has Ribsy taking his first elevator ride as well as his first encounter on a fire escape. By the end of the novel, Ribsy and the Huggin’s family have a deeper appreciation for each other.
This was a entertaining book and a very quick read. The storyline is easy to follow and has colorful characters.
December 28, 2021
Last Henry Huggins book, we loved all of them. Sad its over.
February 28, 2019
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!!
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!!
June 13, 2008
I loved Henry Huggins as a kid and used to wait weeks for these books at the library. Ribsy is Henry's dog and this is a story told from his point of view. I have great memories of this whole series.
March 8, 2009
Ribsy was a nice addition to the story. Henry became great friends with Ribsy and adopted him as his dog. Henry found Ribsy on the street, very helpless, weak, and thin with his ribs sticking out. And that's how Ribsy earned his name!
April 6, 2010
This is a "sentimental favorite" of mine. It was the first Beverly Cleary book I read; while it is a fine story in and of itself, it was also my introduction to the adventures of Henry Huggins and Ramona Quimby, some of which were among my all-time favorite books.
August 27, 2018
This was a good "old-fashioned" children's chapter book which would also be wonderful as a chapter, or two, a night bedtime book for the younger crowd. I listened to an audiobook narrated by Neil Patrick Harris and he was fabulous!
April 23, 2024
Officially done with this amazing series 🥲 so fun to listen to it with my son (6) and NPH is a gem of a narrator.
February 7, 2024
My kids (10 & 7) loved this story with Ribsy as the main character. His getting lost and near misses at being found were stressful for them, but definitely helped make the ***SPOILER*** reunion at the end much sweeter. There was much celebrating!
October 4, 2024
My 8 year old and I enjoyed this entire series in the car-even my middle schoolers and high schoolers wanted to listen if they were with us. Now that we’re done, we’re going to miss Henry and Ribsy!
November 19, 2023
I read this book with my 6 year old son and he loved it.
March 25, 2021
After a shopping trip gone somewhat wrong, Henry's dog, Ribsy, ends up lost. So begins an adventure of ups and downs on this lively and loyal canine's quest to find his way back home in Ribsy by author Beverly Cleary.
Gee. I know I read this book at some point during my childhood, and I'll bet I enjoyed it. I also think it's very likely that I enjoyed it even more this time around.
While this is another Henry Huggins and Ribsy tale, this one is mostly from middle-aged Ribsy's point of view. (Double gee. Did that detail ever stick out to me before, that friendly and enthusiastic Ribsy is middle-aged?)
This book didn't have quite as many laughs for me as other Henry books, but I felt just as much. Felt for Ribsy through all of the twists and turns on his search for home and his favorite boy. Couldn't help but smile at Ribsy's antics and his "making every effort to be charming" even under new and strange circumstances.
It's funny how insightful this story manages to be, giving glimpses into the lives of an interesting mix of people along the way. And with the way various moments during Ribsy's journey tugged on my heartstrings, the moments of excitement were all the more satisfying.
Yup. Emotional, exciting, and satisfying all around. A book with plenty more reasons why Cleary is still my all-time favorite children's book author.
Gee. I know I read this book at some point during my childhood, and I'll bet I enjoyed it. I also think it's very likely that I enjoyed it even more this time around.
While this is another Henry Huggins and Ribsy tale, this one is mostly from middle-aged Ribsy's point of view. (Double gee. Did that detail ever stick out to me before, that friendly and enthusiastic Ribsy is middle-aged?)
This book didn't have quite as many laughs for me as other Henry books, but I felt just as much. Felt for Ribsy through all of the twists and turns on his search for home and his favorite boy. Couldn't help but smile at Ribsy's antics and his "making every effort to be charming" even under new and strange circumstances.
It's funny how insightful this story manages to be, giving glimpses into the lives of an interesting mix of people along the way. And with the way various moments during Ribsy's journey tugged on my heartstrings, the moments of excitement were all the more satisfying.
Yup. Emotional, exciting, and satisfying all around. A book with plenty more reasons why Cleary is still my all-time favorite children's book author.
November 17, 2013
Henry Huggins, Henry and Beezus, Henry and Ribsy, Henry and the Paper Route, Henry and the Clubhouse, and Ribsy – I was quite happy to listen to this collection of books! It was quitespecial to listen to Beverly Cleary introduce the book and honestly loved listening to Neil Patrick Harris narrate most of the stories. What a treasured character I just love remembering from childhood. I’m happy that I’ve been able to introduce my son to Henry Huggins, perfect for his age and life experiences from dealing with pushy kids to losing teeth to loving dogs to taking on responsibility.
February 1, 2016
Revisiting this childhood classic is an exercise into what makes Beverly Cleary a masterful storyteller. In this story, Henry's beloved Ribsy becomes lost through a series of circumstances. As he meets various people on his way back to Henry, Ribsy's experiences are both humorous and revealing about the human condition. Delightful and full of love, this is one sweet dog story that has lasted for a reason. Highly recommended.
February 13, 2016
Poor Ribsy. He gets lost in a parking lot and is in a frantic search for his his life. Confused to where his owner, Henry, is he doesn't understand why strange people are trying to coddle him. Eventually, he finds his way back to his owner, but after many ridiculous events. This a funny, entertaining book. Ages 8/9+
May 30, 2019
I like that a boy gave Ribsy a hamburger and that Henry Huggins talked on the phone to the boy who found Ribsy after he ran away and said "this dog is mine!" I would recommend this book to any kid that likes dogs.
August 7, 2019
Want to do a reread so will review at that time.
July 24, 2020
Out of all the Henry Huggins books this one was my favourite. Probably the lack of bratty Ramona, but also because my childhood dog used to run away often, and like Ribsy, she also went missing from a parking lot for a month. Part of me always wondered what adventures she had during that month. Like Ribsy she returned healthy and well fed, picked up by a friend of my dad's as she was running toward home. Of course our dog was a beagle and much better suited to sniffing the way home than a mutt like Ribsy was. It was odd because we lived in a small town and you'd think someone would've known it was her or where she was. Ribsy was very similar to our dog. She begged lunches, but unlike Ribsy, our dog just took the lunches without waiting for someone to give her food, to the shame of my dad as many of the stolen lunches belonged to his employees. Ribsy has many fun adventures, is bathed in violet bubble bath a smell he tries to get rid of, befriends an old lady who over feeds him, becomes a class mascot, becomes an unwitting hero at a football game and discovers what elevators are. Another favourite moment came when Henry "spoke" to Ribsy on the phone. The reaction reminded me of my rabbits when they heard the sound of my mom or dad's voice on speaker phone, staring at it like the phone had swallowed their beloved family members. Of course there was a happy ending to the story and a good way to end the Henry Huggins books which sadly haven't been the best. Henry was his usual annoying self scoffing at bubble baths, stupid girls and yelling at one of the boys who tried to help him get Ribsy, that's most likely why I didn't like the other books.
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