logo

39 pages 1 hour read

Beverly Cleary, Illustr. Tracy Dockray

Henry Huggins

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1950

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Chapters 1-2Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 1 Summary: “Henry and Ribs”

Henry Huggins is in the third grade and lives on Klickitat Street, and he thinks his life is boring. One day, after swimming at the YMCA, Henry finds a stray dog. The dog is skinny and hungrily looks at Henry’s ice cream cone. Henry feeds the dog his cone and shoos him away, but the dog follows him. Seeing that the dog doesn’t have a collar, Henry decides he wants to adopt him. He names the scrawny dog Ribsy and finds a telephone to call his mother. At first, Henry’s mother is worried that he is in trouble, but Henry tells her about finding Ribsy and begs her to bring him home. Mrs. Huggins is uncertain, but, after Henry pleads, she agrees and tells him that he must bring the dog home on the bus. Before he hangs up, Mrs. Huggins hears Ribsy scratching, and Henry tells her that he has fleas.

When Henry tries to board the bus with Ribsy, the bus driver tells him dogs aren’t allowed on the bus and must be transported inside a box. Henry quickly runs to the drugstore and asks for a large box. Ribsy climbs inside, and Henry carries the heavy box back to the bus stop.

blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
Unlock IconUnlock all 39 pages of this Study Guide
Plus, gain access to 8,550+ more expert-written Study Guides.
Including features:
+ Mobile App
+ Printable PDF
+ Literary AI Tools