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Henry Reed #1
Henry Reed, Inc.
Henry Reed has arrived in Grover's Corner--and the town will never be the same. While spending the summer with his aunt and uncle, Henry comes up with a sure-fire money-making project: Henry Reed, Inc., Research. Henry's neighbor, Midge Glass, has an even more sure-fire hit: Reed and Glass, Inc. Now with Henry's ingenious mind and Midge's practical reasoning, Reed and Class Inc. turns into a huge success--while creating more bewildering and outrageous schemes than the townfold could have imagined.
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1958
22 people are currently reading
1342 people want to read
About the author
Keith Robertson
53 books30 followersKeith Robertson was born on May 9, 1914 in Dows, Iowa. He joined the Navy in 1931, and served as a radioman on a destroyer. Later, he attended the United States Naval Academy, graduating with a B.S. degree. He attributed his initial decision to study at the Academy to a "fanatical aversion to washing dishes." He said, "When I discovered that midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy did not wash dishes but were gentlemen by act of Congress, I promptly applied for entrance." Robertson served in World War II as captain of a destroyer. He was awarded five battle stars. He retired from the service as a captain in the United States Naval Reserve.
Robertson published his first book, Ticktock and Jim, in 1948. His writing career spanned 40 years. As a member of the Rutgers University Council on Children's Literature, he was active in encouraging aspiring authors.
He was married to Elizabeth Woodburn Robertson, a rare-book dealer, and had four children. He died of cancer at his home in Hopewell, New Jersey on September 23, 1991, aged 77.
Robertson published his first book, Ticktock and Jim, in 1948. His writing career spanned 40 years. As a member of the Rutgers University Council on Children's Literature, he was active in encouraging aspiring authors.
He was married to Elizabeth Woodburn Robertson, a rare-book dealer, and had four children. He died of cancer at his home in Hopewell, New Jersey on September 23, 1991, aged 77.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
June 20, 2023
Too funny! And the main character doesn't even know it!
Henry Reed is spending the summer with an Aunt and Uncle who live in the countryside of New Jersey. Since his teacher told all of her students to study "free enterprise" over the summer, Henry sets out to do just that - start a business and write about it first hand. As he's painting his business sign, Henry Reed, Inc., across the barn wall, the neighbor girl, Midge, startles him. And that's how events keep going, one startling, comical, accidental event (or mishap, depending on your point of view) after the other. Let's see, there's the mishap with the rabbit, and one with the dog, and then the oil, the truffle mushrooms, the wasps, the neighbors, a power outage, a dead pigeon, a balloon chase ... Henry and Midge certainly stay busy!
And they're two great characters! Midge is twelve and Henry, being thirteen, is of course the smarter and more responsible of the two. At least he thinks so. For Midge is always rattling off nonsense which makes no sense to Henry (which is entirely too funny, because he prides himself on having a good sense of humor, but all Midge's witty puns and jokes just whiz over his head).
And then there is Mr. Apple. The neighbor who is so incredibly rude. But he also seems to be up to something. Why is he so touchy about trespassers and why is he building a mysterious fence in the center of his back yard? Henry and Midge are sure he's hiding something ...
You'll thoroughly enjoy this duo, their mishap adventures and the pure entertainment this book affords!
Ages: 10+
#Summer #Entrepreneurship
Cleanliness: Gosh, Gee, Golly and the like are used a few times. Mentions someone smoking a pipe. Someone is called a "big boob."
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! And be sure to check out my bio page to learn a little about me and the Picture Book/Chapter Book Calendars I sell on Etsy!
Henry Reed is spending the summer with an Aunt and Uncle who live in the countryside of New Jersey. Since his teacher told all of her students to study "free enterprise" over the summer, Henry sets out to do just that - start a business and write about it first hand. As he's painting his business sign, Henry Reed, Inc., across the barn wall, the neighbor girl, Midge, startles him. And that's how events keep going, one startling, comical, accidental event (or mishap, depending on your point of view) after the other. Let's see, there's the mishap with the rabbit, and one with the dog, and then the oil, the truffle mushrooms, the wasps, the neighbors, a power outage, a dead pigeon, a balloon chase ... Henry and Midge certainly stay busy!
And they're two great characters! Midge is twelve and Henry, being thirteen, is of course the smarter and more responsible of the two. At least he thinks so. For Midge is always rattling off nonsense which makes no sense to Henry (which is entirely too funny, because he prides himself on having a good sense of humor, but all Midge's witty puns and jokes just whiz over his head).
And then there is Mr. Apple. The neighbor who is so incredibly rude. But he also seems to be up to something. Why is he so touchy about trespassers and why is he building a mysterious fence in the center of his back yard? Henry and Midge are sure he's hiding something ...
You'll thoroughly enjoy this duo, their mishap adventures and the pure entertainment this book affords!
Ages: 10+
#Summer #Entrepreneurship
Cleanliness: Gosh, Gee, Golly and the like are used a few times. Mentions someone smoking a pipe. Someone is called a "big boob."
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! And be sure to check out my bio page to learn a little about me and the Picture Book/Chapter Book Calendars I sell on Etsy!
August 31, 2013
I know I read this as a kid living in the Midwest, but it was even more fun as an adult living in the area of NJ where the book takes place -- familiar culture, places, problems.
Though published in 1958, when the Princeton area was more rural, many similarities remain.
Similarities:
Tiny named villages all over the place (eg, Grover's Corner has 9 houses); the mix of rural and suburban.
Mention of The Institute of Advanced Study and the Gallup Poll organization.
Surprised to find out they already had garden-eating hoards of deer back then!
Even though I'm not sure where the author's fictional town of Grover's Corner would be (the author lived in Hopewell), it was fun to hear mention of Princeton Junction, tiny little Mount Rose, Plainsboro, New Hope, etc.
Funny to see mention of a mini-traffic jam forming on a country road and most of those in it are uber-educated university faculty. That's SO typical of this area!
Finding old pottery in the woods and stream banks. We love doing that.
Differences:
The story centers on a kid learning about American "free enterprise," such a 50s sounding concept.
It makes the Princeton area sound like an important think-tank -- I would say it's a bit of a has-been in that regard (no offense meant to the wonderful researchers and businesses in the area).
Box turtles! Why can they find so many box turtles -- which I adore -- and I've only ever seen one here.
Anyway, I would recommend this book to kids living in my area. I really liked the characters -- serious Henry and funny, carefree Midge. My inner feminist loves that Mr. Robertson invented a Midge, who is fearless and creative and loves being outdoors and insists on becoming a business partner. She's so awesome. But not a 5-star rating, because it bothers me that the kids found it funny when a lady fell into a pond (because of something they did) and did nothing to help or apologize. Henry writes: "...she was too fat to do much...I stayed where I was and laughed until my sides ached."
Shame on you, Henry Reed.
Though published in 1958, when the Princeton area was more rural, many similarities remain.
Similarities:
Tiny named villages all over the place (eg, Grover's Corner has 9 houses); the mix of rural and suburban.
Mention of The Institute of Advanced Study and the Gallup Poll organization.
Surprised to find out they already had garden-eating hoards of deer back then!
Even though I'm not sure where the author's fictional town of Grover's Corner would be (the author lived in Hopewell), it was fun to hear mention of Princeton Junction, tiny little Mount Rose, Plainsboro, New Hope, etc.
Funny to see mention of a mini-traffic jam forming on a country road and most of those in it are uber-educated university faculty. That's SO typical of this area!
Finding old pottery in the woods and stream banks. We love doing that.
Differences:
The story centers on a kid learning about American "free enterprise," such a 50s sounding concept.
It makes the Princeton area sound like an important think-tank -- I would say it's a bit of a has-been in that regard (no offense meant to the wonderful researchers and businesses in the area).
Box turtles! Why can they find so many box turtles -- which I adore -- and I've only ever seen one here.
Anyway, I would recommend this book to kids living in my area. I really liked the characters -- serious Henry and funny, carefree Midge. My inner feminist loves that Mr. Robertson invented a Midge, who is fearless and creative and loves being outdoors and insists on becoming a business partner. She's so awesome. But not a 5-star rating, because it bothers me that the kids found it funny when a lady fell into a pond (because of something they did) and did nothing to help or apologize. Henry writes: "...she was too fat to do much...I stayed where I was and laughed until my sides ached."
Shame on you, Henry Reed.
January 13, 2020
Somehow, based on the description, I expected Henry to be about ten years old. He's thirteen. So, I would probably place this as "middle grade" and I'm not sure I would have picked it up for my six-year-old had I known but it actually really captivated him since he has a lot of similarities with Henry in terms of being curious, interested in nature and animals, enjoying experiments, wanting to start his own business, etc. etc. (He said his favorite parts were with the hot air balloon Henry creates). Much of this book is wonderful! I love Henry's curiosity, his ingenuity and his enthusiasm. Midge is a great companion and despite a few of Henry's comments along the lines of, "well, she's pretty good -- for a *girl*" (typical stuff given the publication date) she is clever and fun and a good fit for Henry.
I skipped over some parts for my son. For example, Henry and Midge think their neighbor Mr. Apple is up to nefarious deeds and wonder why he's always digging around in his backyard and doesn't want people to go there ("maybe he's burying bodies back there!" they say on several occasions). Henry loves animals and nature and is very kind to the stray dog they find, but some the parts with animals were ones I skipped over such as whether the stray dog would be a good hunting dog, someone hunting deer, and what happened with the homing pigeon and the cat.
Yet, overall, it's worth considering. It is written in journal style and Robertson does a great job with Henry's voice. And the illustrations by Robert McClosky are charming.
I skipped over some parts for my son. For example, Henry and Midge think their neighbor Mr. Apple is up to nefarious deeds and wonder why he's always digging around in his backyard and doesn't want people to go there ("maybe he's burying bodies back there!" they say on several occasions). Henry loves animals and nature and is very kind to the stray dog they find, but some the parts with animals were ones I skipped over such as whether the stray dog would be a good hunting dog, someone hunting deer, and what happened with the homing pigeon and the cat.
Yet, overall, it's worth considering. It is written in journal style and Robertson does a great job with Henry's voice. And the illustrations by Robert McClosky are charming.
July 23, 2016
Looking back to my youth:
I remember, now, reading Henry Reed, Inc. back in about the seventh grade. Awesome fun then awesome fun now. No space battles, no Divergents or Hunger Games or Maze, just an eighth-grader spending the summer with his aunt and uncle in a small New Jersey town, who somehow manages to regularly and repeatedly attract a charming, 1950's sort of trouble almost daily. Hats off to Mr. Robertson for a clean, fun story
I remember, now, reading Henry Reed, Inc. back in about the seventh grade. Awesome fun then awesome fun now. No space battles, no Divergents or Hunger Games or Maze, just an eighth-grader spending the summer with his aunt and uncle in a small New Jersey town, who somehow manages to regularly and repeatedly attract a charming, 1950's sort of trouble almost daily. Hats off to Mr. Robertson for a clean, fun story
February 6, 2017
I have one tiny quibble with this book, but it is easily overlooked with the wonderful boyish genius of the rest of the story. Henry Reed is wonderful! This is what it means to be a smart curious little boy with an equally smart and endearing tomboy next-door. We are officially huge fans. Hopefully we win our eBay auctions so that we can buy the other books in the series.
April 9, 2019
My son seemed to enjoy this one. Henry and his friend Midge get up to mischief without intending to, a classic theme, I know. Obviously this is an older book, but I was still pleasantly surprised that not only did they have an adult It was nice to see a gun presented as a tool, but including a real world consideration that a kid reading the book might not have thought about.
July 25, 2022
Quick read - still a good book!
May 24, 2021
I read this for school, but I actually ended up liking it is much that my mom bought me the next book.
July 25, 2014
This is another book I really liked as a kid that I was interested to revisit. As it turns out, some of the tone of it went over my head back in the day. I perceived it as a book about a very smart, independent, can-do kid who happened to get involved in some funny situations. And he definitely is smart, independent, and can-do! (I especially love the fifties-ness of how adults let him and his friend do pretty much whatever.) However, as a kid I, like Henry, didn't get what Uncle Al was telling him all along--that although Henry doesn't intend to cause trouble, his ambitions combined with a lack of foresight (because smart as he is, he's still a kid) make him an Agent of Chaos. Also, as an adult, I can tell Henry has absolutely no sense of humor, which I find very endearing.
September 9, 2013
MCL. I think it would be fun to visit family far away for the whole summer.
October 11, 2013
I enjoyed this, but not as much as the twin 10 year old boys I teach. It was perfect for them!
July 26, 2017
A FAVORITE CLASSIC FOR YOUNG AND OLD
It was a hot (HOT!) summer day in Corpus Christi, Texas. I was bicycling home from the public library with eleven books stacked precariously on my handlebars. (No basket, just books-on-the-bars, old style. Why eleven? If you have to ask, you’re not a bookworm/bibliophile.) One of the eleven was HENRY REED, INC. by Keith Robertson.
HENRY REED, INC. would soon become one of the favorites of my youth. (The version I enjoyed was illustrated by the masterful Robert McCloskey.) On the cover, bespectacled, slender, sly-faced Henry sits with feet propped on a desk, a tank of laboratory gas standing nearby. (How could a nerdy, bespectacled me NOT be drawn to this book?) Robertson’s skilled writing relates to us the fascinating tale of Henry’s summer adventures in Princeton, New Jersey with Uncle Alfred, Aunt Mabel, Henry’s new friend/source of irritation, Midge, and of course… a dog! (A high-spirited beagle named Agony.)
What does this book offer young readers? An entertaining, tongue-in-cheek introduction to the world of research and development mixed with good, clean, humorous summer fun. Almost thirty years after first reading it, during my initial semester as a middle school teacher, I spied the long-forgotten book on the shelves of our school library. Delighted at discovering this old friend, I checked it out and re-read it -- still a good read as an adult. A decade later, I would incorporate passages from a copy I purchased (and still own) into one of my high school physics classes.
HENRY REED, INC. -- Good for ALL ages!
(Try to get one of the originals that has McCloskey’s illustrations.)
“I sold another dozen earthworms today and we rigged up a trap to catch the white rabbit. We haven’t had a chance to try it out yet, but I think it will work.”
This review was written by Kevin Polman, author of SOMETHING and THE EXTRA KEY.
It was a hot (HOT!) summer day in Corpus Christi, Texas. I was bicycling home from the public library with eleven books stacked precariously on my handlebars. (No basket, just books-on-the-bars, old style. Why eleven? If you have to ask, you’re not a bookworm/bibliophile.) One of the eleven was HENRY REED, INC. by Keith Robertson.
HENRY REED, INC. would soon become one of the favorites of my youth. (The version I enjoyed was illustrated by the masterful Robert McCloskey.) On the cover, bespectacled, slender, sly-faced Henry sits with feet propped on a desk, a tank of laboratory gas standing nearby. (How could a nerdy, bespectacled me NOT be drawn to this book?) Robertson’s skilled writing relates to us the fascinating tale of Henry’s summer adventures in Princeton, New Jersey with Uncle Alfred, Aunt Mabel, Henry’s new friend/source of irritation, Midge, and of course… a dog! (A high-spirited beagle named Agony.)
What does this book offer young readers? An entertaining, tongue-in-cheek introduction to the world of research and development mixed with good, clean, humorous summer fun. Almost thirty years after first reading it, during my initial semester as a middle school teacher, I spied the long-forgotten book on the shelves of our school library. Delighted at discovering this old friend, I checked it out and re-read it -- still a good read as an adult. A decade later, I would incorporate passages from a copy I purchased (and still own) into one of my high school physics classes.
HENRY REED, INC. -- Good for ALL ages!
(Try to get one of the originals that has McCloskey’s illustrations.)
“I sold another dozen earthworms today and we rigged up a trap to catch the white rabbit. We haven’t had a chance to try it out yet, but I think it will work.”
This review was written by Kevin Polman, author of SOMETHING and THE EXTRA KEY.
March 17, 2025
Fun and discreetly humorous, this is a good old-fashioned tale of resourcefulness, hard work, free enterprise, and a healthy dose of shenanigans. It brings to mind the story of Homer Price.
My big kids would have enjoyed this greatly as a family read-aloud around ages 9-13 or so. We hadn't heard of it back then so missed it. Still a good pick belatedly for the Mama's silent reading, and to squirrel away for the youngest to enjoy in a few years.
Content considerations:
-A neighbor is grouchy and threatening, and the children believe he has bodies buried in his yard.
-Dousing (water-witching) is discussed and tried.
-"Holy Ned!" is exclaimed a few times.
-Occasionally, some people are referred to as "fat."
-There is some dishonesty when the boy leads the girl to believe that something he unearthed was valuable, in order to trick her. It turns out to actually be valuable indeed, and he keeps up the idea that he knew it all along.
-A boy believes his uncle may be psychic because he seems to be able to predict things (reality is, he is aware of the uncanny propensity for his nephew to accidentally and frequently get into trouble). It is mentioned a few times that he must be psychic.
My big kids would have enjoyed this greatly as a family read-aloud around ages 9-13 or so. We hadn't heard of it back then so missed it. Still a good pick belatedly for the Mama's silent reading, and to squirrel away for the youngest to enjoy in a few years.
Content considerations:
-A neighbor is grouchy and threatening, and the children believe he has bodies buried in his yard.
-Dousing (water-witching) is discussed and tried.
-"Holy Ned!" is exclaimed a few times.
-Occasionally, some people are referred to as "fat."
-There is some dishonesty when the boy leads the girl to believe that something he unearthed was valuable, in order to trick her. It turns out to actually be valuable indeed, and he keeps up the idea that he knew it all along.
-A boy believes his uncle may be psychic because he seems to be able to predict things (reality is, he is aware of the uncanny propensity for his nephew to accidentally and frequently get into trouble). It is mentioned a few times that he must be psychic.
March 12, 2025
This book surprised me. I sort of expected it to be a type of slapstick humor, but instead it was a very intelligent story with some surprising and unexpected happenings that created the humor. Henry Reed is the son of diplomats who are overseas in Italy. He is sent to America to spend the summer with an aunt and uncle he has never met. One of the assignments his teacher gives the class for the summer is to report on how other students earn money - to illustrate "free enterprise." Well, Henry has some interesting ideas and they lead him and his new friend Midge into some delicate situations.
This is the first in a series of five books about Henry and Midge's adventures during summer times in the days before computers, cell phones, and video games. Made me nostalgic!
This is the first in a series of five books about Henry and Midge's adventures during summer times in the days before computers, cell phones, and video games. Made me nostalgic!
September 18, 2024
Fun book to read aloud to my kids
October 12, 2022
Particularly given the era it was written, this was a solid book that I grew up with and was decent upon a return trip as an adult
August 6, 2023
Not bad. Midge is a spitfire who can hold her own, Henry is a bit stuck up, but he's young enough and grows out of it slightly that you can stand it.
The adults get some jokes of their own which bumped it up a notch.
The adults get some jokes of their own which bumped it up a notch.
September 9, 2022
What fun! The hilarious situations, puns, and irony all made me giggle. Robert McCloskey’s illustrations are fantastic. And now I know why my son was talking so knowledgeably the other day about truffle-hunting dogs and pigs!
December 5, 2019
There was a lot in this book that went over my kids’ heads (4 and 6.5 years) and a lot that led to learning about more things which is great. Overall we liked it.
February 14, 2024
A beloved favorite of mine, part of a fantastic series that should be read by more kids but isn't. Keith Robertson's humor is ebulliently deadpan (if that's possible), with one hilarious episode after another. The book has aged remarkably well; it's from 1958, but I was reading it in the early 1980s and not really thinking that it felt old or dated; and twenty-some years later, I can pick out a few dated references, but not all that many. Humor may change over time, but a really good writer of humor can make something funny regardless of the era in which you reading their work (see Mark Twain). Robertson's characters and situations, as narrated by the stoic and reasoned Henry Reed, are keenly drawn. The balloon scene at the end still has me laughing out loud, even though I've re-read this book at least a dozen times.
____________________
2.14.24. I don't think I agree anymore that more kid should read the series as whole - I read the first three books essentially in the span of a week (two in one day). For the 21st century audience there are some problematic scenes in Henry Reed's Journey regarding Native Americans. Henry Reed's Babysitting Service is still a hoot and has some old fashioned ideas about gender (does Keith Robertson hold those views, or Henry Reed? That's always the question, right?). But all that said, I agree with what I said about Henry Reed, Inc. - I'm not sure how it holds up with modern children, but I think it still was dryly hilarious. . And yes, the scene at the end with Agony the beagle and Siegfried the evil cat is still very funny.
____________________
2.14.24. I don't think I agree anymore that more kid should read the series as whole - I read the first three books essentially in the span of a week (two in one day). For the 21st century audience there are some problematic scenes in Henry Reed's Journey regarding Native Americans. Henry Reed's Babysitting Service is still a hoot and has some old fashioned ideas about gender (does Keith Robertson hold those views, or Henry Reed? That's always the question, right?). But all that said, I agree with what I said about Henry Reed, Inc. - I'm not sure how it holds up with modern children, but I think it still was dryly hilarious. . And yes, the scene at the end with Agony the beagle and Siegfried the evil cat is still very funny.
September 6, 2016
I was a HUGE fan of Henry Reed's Babysitting Service when I was a kid, but never read any of the others in the series. (The copy I had belonged to my mother when SHE was a girl.) So when I stumbled on this copy at a used bookstore I had to get it. (And am working on finding the others in the series!)
I'm a big fan of summer stories in general, and Henry and Midge have it made. A big yard and a barn with no grown-ups to bother them, and lots of money to be made and trouble to be found.
As another reader commented, Henry's complete lack of a sense of humor is hilarious, and Midge's corny puns are really only fantastic because she thinks they are. The perfect Oscar to Henry's Felix. And the unfortunate fate of poor Mr. Apple's grass patch made me laugh out loud.
I think kids today might find it a little boring, but I loved the little nostalgic trip. Can't wait to find and read the rest.
I'm a big fan of summer stories in general, and Henry and Midge have it made. A big yard and a barn with no grown-ups to bother them, and lots of money to be made and trouble to be found.
As another reader commented, Henry's complete lack of a sense of humor is hilarious, and Midge's corny puns are really only fantastic because she thinks they are. The perfect Oscar to Henry's Felix. And the unfortunate fate of poor Mr. Apple's grass patch made me laugh out loud.
I think kids today might find it a little boring, but I loved the little nostalgic trip. Can't wait to find and read the rest.
December 23, 2009
Pretty sure I read this as a kid. I liked it, but somehow it was missing the funny. They got into plenty of goofy adventures, but it just doesn't have the wit and charm of say, The Great Brain books.
November 26, 2016
A fun, classic read. Interesting stories with appeal to children and adults. Henry Reed and his friend, Midge Glass, are likable characters, as are Henry's Aunt and Uncle. A nice read-aloud for parents to share with their children. Looking forward to the subsequent books in the series.
September 29, 2019
Absolutely iconic stuff going on here. Midge Glass is a hero of her time. Also, not sure how I feel about understanding what Uncle Al was talking about for the first time. Hazards of reading things as an adult I reckon.
June 8, 2008
this is a funny book. it has a boy main caricter and a girl so any one could like it.
January 22, 2022
My 10 year old's favorite series.
June 27, 2023
A charming middle-grade adventure from the 1950s. Our hero, Henry Reed, has spent most of his life outside the United States because his dad is a Cold War diplomat, until his parents decide he should spend the summer with his aunt and uncle in rural New Jersey. It's kind of a fish-out-of-water story because Henry knows relatively little about "ordinary American life," so experiences other kids might take for granted are new to him. Shenanigans ensue!
Henry is a serious-minded and literal child without much of a sense of humor. (It's implied he's used to spending time with adults rather than peers.) This in itself becomes a source of humor in the narrative, but you have to read between the lines to understand a lot of the jokes the other characters make, because Henry himself doesn't understand them. I think this is why I enjoyed the book more as an adult than I did as a kid, because I was also a serious-minded and literal child, so the nuances that go over Henry's head flew right over my head, too. :-P
Henry is a serious-minded and literal child without much of a sense of humor. (It's implied he's used to spending time with adults rather than peers.) This in itself becomes a source of humor in the narrative, but you have to read between the lines to understand a lot of the jokes the other characters make, because Henry himself doesn't understand them. I think this is why I enjoyed the book more as an adult than I did as a kid, because I was also a serious-minded and literal child, so the nuances that go over Henry's head flew right over my head, too. :-P
November 8, 2017
Good mid-century kid's fiction. Enjoyed re-reading with my 8yo, although subsequent books in the series are more exciting.
A subtle indicator of how life has changed, though: Both my 8yo and I both found ourselves cringing when Henry gets into a situation where he's inadvertently blocking traffic. Turns out we both were tensed for the outpouring of rage from drivers. Neither of us anticipated the patience, chuckles, and ultimate good-natured assistance Henry receives from the inconvenienced drivers. Unimaginable in 2017 Philadelphia, where slowing anyone else down on the road is a cardinal sin, literally (as recent cases attest) as much as your life might be worth.
A subtle indicator of how life has changed, though: Both my 8yo and I both found ourselves cringing when Henry gets into a situation where he's inadvertently blocking traffic. Turns out we both were tensed for the outpouring of rage from drivers. Neither of us anticipated the patience, chuckles, and ultimate good-natured assistance Henry receives from the inconvenienced drivers. Unimaginable in 2017 Philadelphia, where slowing anyone else down on the road is a cardinal sin, literally (as recent cases attest) as much as your life might be worth.
February 24, 2018
The language and writing was alright but I dropped it early on. I had sort of hoped for something like Lunch Money by Andrew Clements, but this isn't as relatable a story and things seem to be a bit more convenient than I normally like for the protagonist. The dog being so smart and obeyable, the ready made barn, etc put me off a bit. Then there were minor nitpicks like the uncle not just driving away from the dog and him arguing "its too late for a bath so just let the dog in the house even if he may have fleas". Overall, it reminded me a bit of Henry Huggins/Homer Price a bit - outdated works that were enjoyable as a kid but not so much now.
July 23, 2022
Arriving from Italy to spend the summer in New Jersey, preteen Henry Reed decides to record his experiences with the American capitalist system. Befriending Midge Glass, a girl down the road, together the pair start a research firm (amateur detective agency). Vermont Golden Dome Book Award Nominee (1960), William Allen White Children's Book Award (1961). A classic from my childhood, loved by my siblings & their offspring as well; my grandson is reading it now.
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