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genderqueer_hiker's review against another edition
4.0
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
misajane79's review against another edition
3.0
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.
momreaderh's review against another edition
5.0
This author really knows how kids’ brains work. Fun read out loud book. If you or your child like Beverly Clearly, you will love this book.
cpruskee's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
sandeestarlite's review against another edition
5.0
A childhood classic that kept my 8 yr old asking for more as we read aloud. Best read aloud with a young Jimmy Stewart voice.
brosen's review against another edition
4.0
This book is right up there with Henry Huggins and Homer Price. How on earth did I miss reading this one when I was a kid?
caleb_m's review against another edition
5.0
I Loved this book. i read it again in June 9 2016. I really like the henry reed books.
mrskatiefitz's review against another edition
5.0
This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.
Henry Reed, the son of diplomats, is an American citizen, but he hasn't spent much time in the United States. This summer, however, he will be staying with his aunt and uncle in New Jersey. Though Aunt Mabel and Uncle Al expect their nephew to be bored in their quiet neighborhood, Henry immediately starts to liven things up when he launches Henry Reed, Inc., his own research company. Together with Midge, a girl in the neighborhood, he begins gathering animals to sell, offering services to the locals, and in every spare moment trying to catch Midge's runaway rabbit, all while staying away from the grumpy man next door who would prefer never to see or hear from Henry.
This is a series I completely missed as a kid, and I think, had I read them, I would not have been a fan. While my adult sensibilities love to read about clever pranks told in Henry's facetious tone, my younger self would have preferred more traditionally "girly" stories. This is why I think this book is a perfect choice for a reader who wants a real "boy story." Henry's voice as he writes his adventures in his journal is strongly masculine, and his summer adventures involve dirt, animals, tinkering, and goofing around in ways that are very boyish. As Beverly Cleary does in Strider, Keith Robertson really gets inside the mind of a young teenage boy and creates a believable and likable character.
Some things - particularly Robert McCloskey's illustrations and the utter lack of modern technology - date the book to the 1950s, but there is a Penderwicksian feeling of timelessness that transcends the time period and keeps the story feeling fresh and relevant even today. If you want to encourage skeptical young readers to pick up this book despite its age, emphasize the format (a diary just like Greg Heffley's!) and the sense of humor (think Gary Paulsen's Kevin Spencer.) Once readers are hooked, be prepared to also share the sequels to Henry Reed, Inc.: Henry Reed's Journey (1963), Henry Reed's Babysitting Service (1966), Henry Reed's Big Show (1970), and Henry Reed's Think Tank (1986).
Henry Reed, the son of diplomats, is an American citizen, but he hasn't spent much time in the United States. This summer, however, he will be staying with his aunt and uncle in New Jersey. Though Aunt Mabel and Uncle Al expect their nephew to be bored in their quiet neighborhood, Henry immediately starts to liven things up when he launches Henry Reed, Inc., his own research company. Together with Midge, a girl in the neighborhood, he begins gathering animals to sell, offering services to the locals, and in every spare moment trying to catch Midge's runaway rabbit, all while staying away from the grumpy man next door who would prefer never to see or hear from Henry.
This is a series I completely missed as a kid, and I think, had I read them, I would not have been a fan. While my adult sensibilities love to read about clever pranks told in Henry's facetious tone, my younger self would have preferred more traditionally "girly" stories. This is why I think this book is a perfect choice for a reader who wants a real "boy story." Henry's voice as he writes his adventures in his journal is strongly masculine, and his summer adventures involve dirt, animals, tinkering, and goofing around in ways that are very boyish. As Beverly Cleary does in Strider, Keith Robertson really gets inside the mind of a young teenage boy and creates a believable and likable character.
Some things - particularly Robert McCloskey's illustrations and the utter lack of modern technology - date the book to the 1950s, but there is a Penderwicksian feeling of timelessness that transcends the time period and keeps the story feeling fresh and relevant even today. If you want to encourage skeptical young readers to pick up this book despite its age, emphasize the format (a diary just like Greg Heffley's!) and the sense of humor (think Gary Paulsen's Kevin Spencer.) Once readers are hooked, be prepared to also share the sequels to Henry Reed, Inc.: Henry Reed's Journey (1963), Henry Reed's Babysitting Service (1966), Henry Reed's Big Show (1970), and Henry Reed's Think Tank (1986).
colleenish's review against another edition
5.0
This book is genius. The boy in the story is a likeable character who doesn't see the humor in what happens to him. That just makes his adventures more humorous somehow.
ejderwood's review
5.0
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.