Henrietta, There's No One Better

Henrietta

by Martine Murray

Judy Moody, Clarice Bean, and Junie B. Jones have a new best friend. Introducing Henrietta!

Henrietta has a habit of making things up.

Some things are Henrietta has a baby brother the size of a sock (almost), a crazy brown dog named Madge, and a constant hunger for chocolate ripple cake. She is good at explorification and making her dad's undies into a superb hat. Other things are not Henrietta says she can keep a secret. She cannot.

But if Henrietta has a big habit of making things up, she has a bigger habit of making things fun, even little brothers and hamsters. So come meet Henrietta, and make an irresistible, irrepressible new friend.

Genres: Childrens, Picture Books, Kids, Chapter Books

96 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2006

About the author

Martine Murray, a native and a current resident of Melbourne, Australia, is an accomplished author with a variety of other talents and interests. She has studied film making at Prahan College, painting at the Victorian College of the Arts, and movement and dance at Melbourne University. She began writing as a method of keeping track of all of her activities. She explains, “I was writing in journals a lot while I was in art school. I also used to write on my canvasses or write on etchings and make tiny stories that weren't really stories, they were more like sketches of moments.”

Soon enough, Martine had authored and illustrated the gentle, funny, and gloriously playful books such as The Slightly True Story of Cedar B. Hartley (Who Planned to Live an Unusual Life). In the story of twelve-year old Cedar B. Hartley, the young heroine befriends the son of a circus family and coordinates a local circus to raise money for the community's dog operation. The book has won a number of awards, including NYPL 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing, Book Sense 76 Children's Pick, it was shortlisted for Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the year Award, shortlisted for New South Wales Premier's Literary Award, and won the Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children's Books.

Martine Murray is currently enrolled in Professional Writing at RMIT and plans further study in screen writing and short story.

Reviews

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part of me loves this and part of me is bamboozled by this. Lots of illustrations in this book about Henrietta, a character I adore and from whom I will steal the bad word "sheezamageeza". But there's no plot here, just the non-sequiter ramblings of this wild child, and while she's delightful, I kept thinking, "am I missing something?"

[Katie Sheldrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book is best suited to year 3-4 children as book to read independently. Despite being a little confusing at first, this book is written from the point of view of a young girl Henrietta and her life with a sock sized baby brother, her love of chocolate cake as well as the fun she expresses when playing with her pet dog. There is also another side to Henrietta, one of a great imagination and making things up and she thoroughly enjoys the stories she makes up and the imaginary friends she creates. This book has made me laugh as you can imagine the stories made up as true and a reflection of a child in the classroom. This book would be arguably also suitable for year 2 children with some help as some of the captions throughout are more difficult to understand.

[Ellie Abrey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book fairly confusing, mainly because it was difficult to tell who the target audience was - or which situation the book would best be used. However, it was entertaining in parts.

[Dan Allbery · Rating 3 out of 5]

A friend gave this to me as inspiration for our Independent Writing Project. A little something to help embrace the weird.

Sheezamageeza!

[Courtenay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely reminded me of Lauren Child's Charlie and Lola books, as Lola is great at making up words and worlds.

[Heather Muzzy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not at all sure of the target audience on this one. The drawings and interspersed hadwritten text is actually adorable ... but captioning is too complicated to explain to a six year old.

The creative use of original or morph word was entertaining to me, the mom, along with the antics, but again difficult to expain in an already long format for outloud reading. As well, I am not a fan of books that puts ideas in the head of my children involving sneakiness and naughty ideas. If intended for tween girls, the language is confusing even if you account for improper use of agreement and numerous incomplete sentences.

I was relieved when my daughter said I could stop reading half way through.

[Relyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a hoot! So much fun. Martine Murray remembers very well what it's like to be a kid. Only, her version of childhood is smarter and more imaginative that most. I loved this book! It was a visual treat and a great reminder to drag those imaginations out of the closet, dust them off, and use them again. Wonderful!

[Margie · Rating 2 out of 5]

A story through the eyes of a child - very random - much like when you are talking to a child and they can go off subject at the drop of a hat.

[Ella · Rating 3 out of 5]

CUTE!

[Mustang · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was funny because Henrietta thought she was going to be queen.
It was also funny because Henrietta had two mice named Flora and Dora.
It was also funny because Henrietta had a dog named Madge.

[alicat006 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it! It was cutie patootie

[joanne littleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourites that my nan got me for my birthday, she said that the book described me perfectly!!

[Kathryn Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

both my daughter and son loved this series. Funny and imaginative, the Henrietta capture the essence of childhood.