susannaopal's review against another edition
4.0
Although I liked Dear Mr Henshaw better and missed the aspect of writing to the author, I still enjoyed it! Recommend if you loved the first book with Lee, otherwise skip onto other Beverly Cleary books. I listened to this and the audio book is only a few hours, so a quick enjoyable escape!
itabar's review against another edition
4.0
I had no idea there was a sequel to Dear Mr. Henshaw! This was a nice, realistic update.
ferrisscottr's review against another edition
3.0
Beverly Cleary was always one of my favorites growing up so when I was at the library and saw this book and realized I had never read it (I thought I had read all her books) I had to check it out.
There are some kid/YA books that are good no matter what age you are and there are others that really have to be enjoyed as a kid or young adult. It doesn't say anything about the quality of the book but I do think this book is best enjoyed as a kid. I read it and liked it well enough but I think I would have LOVED this book if I would have read it as a kid.
We follow along with Liegh Botts as he goes through life, dealing with his divorced parents, getting a dog, dealing with school and crummy teachers and the track team, and "the girl" he might or might not like etc.
No grand plot here but it doesn't have to be because Cleary is just that good of a writer.
Recommended - highly recommended if you're in that age group, recommended if you are a completionist like me and just have to read everything that Cleary had ever written.
There are some kid/YA books that are good no matter what age you are and there are others that really have to be enjoyed as a kid or young adult. It doesn't say anything about the quality of the book but I do think this book is best enjoyed as a kid. I read it and liked it well enough but I think I would have LOVED this book if I would have read it as a kid.
We follow along with Liegh Botts as he goes through life, dealing with his divorced parents, getting a dog, dealing with school and crummy teachers and the track team, and "the girl" he might or might not like etc.
No grand plot here but it doesn't have to be because Cleary is just that good of a writer.
Recommended - highly recommended if you're in that age group, recommended if you are a completionist like me and just have to read everything that Cleary had ever written.
rebeccasfantasyworld's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
bonluvdon's review
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
ikuo1000's review against another edition
5.0
I read this book right on the heels of Dear Mr. Henshaw, but it still took me a few chapters to get into it.
If Dear Mr. Henshaw was at times wistful and sad, with Leigh feeling lonely and despairing, then this book is - for a while anyway - downright depressing. It's sad that Leigh and his father don't have a good relationship, especially since there's a sense that they did before the divorce, even if his dad was on the road a lot. I know it's the last thing that children of divorce of supposed to do, but there was a part of me that actually hoped Leigh's parents would get back together! Well, of course, that's not the sort of book that Beverly Cleary would write, and the story definitely picked up and ended on a very happy, satisfying note.
Even though Leigh has problems, he's actually very well-adjusted. He's self-aware enough to write about his feelings in a diary, and he has a healthy, balanced perspective on life. The reading level is appropriate for upper elementary school readers, but I think middle school students might get more out of it.
If Dear Mr. Henshaw was at times wistful and sad, with Leigh feeling lonely and despairing, then this book is - for a while anyway - downright depressing. It's sad that Leigh and his father don't have a good relationship, especially since there's a sense that they did before the divorce, even if his dad was on the road a lot. I know it's the last thing that children of divorce of supposed to do, but there was a part of me that actually hoped Leigh's parents would get back together! Well, of course, that's not the sort of book that Beverly Cleary would write, and the story definitely picked up and ended on a very happy, satisfying note.
Even though Leigh has problems, he's actually very well-adjusted. He's self-aware enough to write about his feelings in a diary, and he has a healthy, balanced perspective on life. The reading level is appropriate for upper elementary school readers, but I think middle school students might get more out of it.
abigailbat's review against another edition
4.0
It's been several years since Leigh Botts last wrote in his journal, but he finds it and starts writing about his freshman year of high school. Things are going good for Leigh - he's got a best friend, Barry, and they're sharing custody of an abandoned dog they found on the beach. But sharing custody of Strider soon gets more complicated than Leigh could have imagined. Can his friendship with Barry survive? And if so, will it mean giving up the dog he's come to love?
Again, Beverly Cleary gives us a tween boy narrator dealing with his emotions, with finding friends in high school, with fitting in, with divorced parents, with loneliness, with finding out what he's good at... And MAJOR props for a book about a dog in which the DOG DOES NOT DIE. Whew. I can't believe it took me so long to read this book!
The narration is simple, but effective. I really enjoyed the audiobook.
More on the blog: http://www.abbythelibrarian.com/2010/07/audiobook-review-strider-by-beverly.html
Again, Beverly Cleary gives us a tween boy narrator dealing with his emotions, with finding friends in high school, with fitting in, with divorced parents, with loneliness, with finding out what he's good at... And MAJOR props for a book about a dog in which the DOG DOES NOT DIE. Whew. I can't believe it took me so long to read this book!
The narration is simple, but effective. I really enjoyed the audiobook.
More on the blog: http://www.abbythelibrarian.com/2010/07/audiobook-review-strider-by-beverly.html
lpm100's review against another edition
5.0
A boy gets a life: A Parent's Review
Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2020
By me, this book is 100% kosher.
And that is an achievement in and of itself. (Books these days are too full of 13-year-olds that act like triply-divorced alcoholics. Anguish and all.)
-No profanity
-No adolescent intimacy
It is a combination bildungsroman (common) / epistolary book (uncommon).
As an added benefit, these are real working class people.
And they deal with the situations that normal children are likely to see everyday.
-Financial pressure
-Part time youth jobs
-Parents rescheduling work to participate in their children's events
The protagonist encounters situations that real children are very likely to encounter.
-Spats and reconciliations with friends
-Finding an activity in which he is interested/can even
-Learning how to handle and treat people (girls in which a teen may be interested).
Verdict:
Strongly recommended
Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2020
By me, this book is 100% kosher.
And that is an achievement in and of itself. (Books these days are too full of 13-year-olds that act like triply-divorced alcoholics. Anguish and all.)
-No profanity
-No adolescent intimacy
It is a combination bildungsroman (common) / epistolary book (uncommon).
As an added benefit, these are real working class people.
And they deal with the situations that normal children are likely to see everyday.
-Financial pressure
-Part time youth jobs
-Parents rescheduling work to participate in their children's events
The protagonist encounters situations that real children are very likely to encounter.
-Spats and reconciliations with friends
-Finding an activity in which he is interested/can even
-Learning how to handle and treat people (girls in which a teen may be interested).
Verdict:
Strongly recommended
bradleygirl's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0