Ribsy
Encyclopedia
Ribsy is a children's book by Beverly Cleary
. It is the sixth and final book in the Henry Huggins
series. Henry plays a minor role in the story, however, as the narrative focuses primarily on his dog, Ribsy.
Ribsy finds an old lady named Mrs. Frawley who is telling him to go away when Ribsy raises his paw in greeting and Mrs. Frawley invites him in. With dinner in his stomach, Ribsy sleeps while Mrs. Frawley goes out to shop for her new pet. Ribsy chafes at a coat and colorful leash, then escapes. He, soon after, finds himself becoming the unofficial mascot for a class of elementary school students until he is kicked out over an incident with a squirrel.
Later, Ribsy sneaks into a high school football game and inadvertently makes the game-winning tackle. He is caught by a boy who, pleased at the attention he gets for people thinking it was his dog who won the game, takes Ribsy in. The story of the game gains the attention of the Huggins family who attempt to retrieve Ribsy. Ribsy, however, escapes again after hearing Henry's voice on the phone and running off in search of his beloved owner.
Later, Ribsy is found by a boy with a tennis ball who lives in an apartment building. The boy decides to adopt Ribsy, but panics when confronted by his landlady and hides Ribsy on a fire escape where, fortunately, he is spotted by the Huggins family as they drive through the neighborhood in search of him. Mr. Huggins manages to retrieve Ribsy from the fire escape with the help of some nearby workmen and the mutt is happily reunited with Henry. The family offer the boy, Larry, a portion of the reward and help him deal with his landlady before getting back in the station wagon where Ribsy sits beside Henry on the seat as they drive home, finally reunited.
Beverly Cleary
Beverly Cleary is an American author. Educated at colleges in California and Washington, she worked as a librarian before writing children's books. Cleary has written more than 30 books for young adults and children. Some of her best-known characters are Henry Huggins, Ribsy, Beatrice Quimby, her...
. It is the sixth and final book in the Henry Huggins
Henry Huggins
Henry Huggins ' is a character appearing in a series of children's literature novels by Beverly Cleary, illustrated by Louis Darling, and first appearing in Henry Huggins. Henry is a young boy living on Klickitat Street in Portland, Oregon. The novels take place in the 1950s, which is when Cleary...
series. Henry plays a minor role in the story, however, as the narrative focuses primarily on his dog, Ribsy.
Plot
Like most of the Henry Huggins books, the incidents in this book follow an ongoing plot line. In this book, the Huggins have a new car, and go out shopping; Ribsy, denied a ride, chases the car at up to 25 miles per hour, and is finally allowed in. At the shopping mall, Ribsy is left in the car, and lowers the electric window with the button. Ribsy eventually wants to return to the car to await Henry, and gets into the first new-smelling car he finds, but a different family, with several daughters and one toddler son, gets in and takes Ribsy home with them. Ribsy endures a bubble bath and escapes, wandering in search of Henry.Ribsy finds an old lady named Mrs. Frawley who is telling him to go away when Ribsy raises his paw in greeting and Mrs. Frawley invites him in. With dinner in his stomach, Ribsy sleeps while Mrs. Frawley goes out to shop for her new pet. Ribsy chafes at a coat and colorful leash, then escapes. He, soon after, finds himself becoming the unofficial mascot for a class of elementary school students until he is kicked out over an incident with a squirrel.
Later, Ribsy sneaks into a high school football game and inadvertently makes the game-winning tackle. He is caught by a boy who, pleased at the attention he gets for people thinking it was his dog who won the game, takes Ribsy in. The story of the game gains the attention of the Huggins family who attempt to retrieve Ribsy. Ribsy, however, escapes again after hearing Henry's voice on the phone and running off in search of his beloved owner.
Later, Ribsy is found by a boy with a tennis ball who lives in an apartment building. The boy decides to adopt Ribsy, but panics when confronted by his landlady and hides Ribsy on a fire escape where, fortunately, he is spotted by the Huggins family as they drive through the neighborhood in search of him. Mr. Huggins manages to retrieve Ribsy from the fire escape with the help of some nearby workmen and the mutt is happily reunited with Henry. The family offer the boy, Larry, a portion of the reward and help him deal with his landlady before getting back in the station wagon where Ribsy sits beside Henry on the seat as they drive home, finally reunited.