Leigh Botts in Beverly Cleary's Dear Mr. Henshaw gets to me every time I read that book. He is just so real that I want to give him a big hug and tell him that everything will be okay--even though his parents are divorced and his dad, a long distance trucker, travels all the time, even though his dad took Leigh's dog Bandit along for the ride, even though he has no friends, and even though every time he has something delicious to eat, his lunch is stolen at school. How does the author create such a vivid character in a Newbery award-winning novel that is simply a series of letters and journal entries? Read it to find out! And while you're at it, don't forget to check out the Ramona Quimby series or Runaway Ralph, a motorcycle driving rodent.
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