Henry and Beezus

The world of Henry Huggins centers around Klickitat Street and the Glenwood School. It is peopled with his dog Ribsy, other boys, and--unavoidably--girls. Beezus, christened Beatrice but renamed by her little sister Ramona, is the girl that Henry finds least obnoxious. She is, he has to admit, a sensible girl. He even lets her come along with him occasionally, although this means that Ramona has to come too.

Ramona is Henry's chief cross. Henry thinks she is dumb--and yet he sometimes wonders. How would they ever have escaped from old Mrs. Wisser if Ramona hadn't thrust a slimy garden slug at her?

But Henry can solve his own problems, too. Over all obstacles, he obtains the shiny red bicycle of his desire and pedals out of our sight at the end of this delectable book, with his spokes twinkling in the sunshine and the snap-on tail of his coonskin cap fluttering in the breeze.