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Juvenile Fiction. Juvenile Literature. Humor (Fiction.) HTML: Newbery Medalā??winning author Beverly Cleary gives readers a hero they'll relate to, and root for, in this comical and inspiring novel about Henry Huggins's mission to prove himself worthy of his very own paper route. All the older kids work their own paper route, but because Henry is not eleven yet, Mr. Capper won't let him. Desperate to change his mind, Henry tries everything he can think of to show he's mature and responsible enough for the job. From offering free kittens to new subscribers, to hauling hundreds of pounds of old newspapers for his school's paper drive, there's nothing Henry won't try. But it might just be the irrepressible Ramona Quimby who shows Mr. Capper just how capable Henry is. The Henry Huggins books have been beloved touchstone classics for generations. They're funny and fast reads with appealing illustrations, sure to be welcomed by both eager and reluctant readers.… (more)
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Henry and the Paper Route is six chapters of boyishly good adventure geared toward Henry obtaining the paper route of his dreams! We start out with Henry in hot water over bringing home four kittens...this chapter is all about him making an interesting first impression with Mr. Capper (the newspaper guy). The second chapter is about his tireless search to find good homes for those kittens. Chapter three Henry engineers a clever plan to help his class get ahead in the school paper drive and in chapter four we find out if his plan was successful or not! Chapter five Henry meets Murph, boy genius and finds that Murph has transferred into the paper route he's had his eye on! Oh, no...in chapter six will Henry finally get that route or is he destined to only fill in and help Scooter out? Your young reader will love finding out!
I give this book five stars...though the Henry Huggins series was written in the 1940's and 50's and have a bit of a Leave It to Beaver feel with regards to the traditional family roles and quaint feel of the daily life of the kids in them...they are also rather timeless. Putting aside the money issues (yea, everything cost WAY less in these books than they do today), Henry Huggins is a clean cut typical boy looking for a bit of fun...but he's also honest, hard working, and clever in thinking of ways to get what he wants (the advertising thing for the paper drive for example)...and he's always respectful even when he's trying to scheme to get what he wants! Henry and the Paper Route (and all the other books in this series) are well worth reading...these are kids classics for a reason, because they are timelessly entertaining!
While his paper boy pursuits face success and defeat, Henry has other problems that seem like colossal issues to his young mind. For instance, the four kittens he saves from a rummage sale and the paper recycling contest at his school that he is determined his class will win. Not to mention the new boy, Murph, who is making an awesome robot, but who also took the paper route Henry wanted. Luckily for Henry, Murph doesn't know how to handle Ramona. When she decides she wants to be just like the new boy - including taking over his paper route - Murph decides that he has had enough. He hands the paper route over to Henry, who finally sees his dream realized.
I always enjoy reading Cleary books. Henry is a fun protagonist, and his innocent escapades are charming. I especially like the blend of sweet and mischievous, and the immense creativity, that all of her children characters evince. This entry in the Henry Huggins series has an overarching plot that connects the many unrelated episodes, and ends on a satisfying note. Henry outsmarts Ramona, proving that he deserves the paper route. Ramona Cleary is an easy choice for parents and teachers looking for a book that employs humor, a solid narrative that children will enjoy, and well-rounded lovable characters.
Light, quick, casual fun.