Dear Mr. Henshaw
BEVERLY CLEARY
Author Notes
Beverly Cleary Biography
 Character Development
 Setting: Throughout the story, locate
Pages 1-8
Vocabulary
 amuse
 enclosure
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the towns and states on a map of the
United States.
Conflict
Figurative Language
What grade was Leigh in when the
story began? What grade is he in
now?
What do Leigh’s letters to Mr.
Henshaw reveal about his character?
Has he changed since the novel
began? Use evidence from the text to
support your thinking.
 Character Development
Pages 9-15
Vocabulary
 duplicated
 Setting
 Conflict
 Figurative Language
 Why do you think Mr. Henshaw
sent Leigh a list of questions to
answer? What does this say about
Mr. Henshaw’s character?
 As the story progresses, answer
the same questions that Leigh has
to answer.
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Who are you?
What do you look like?
 Character Development: What new
Pages 16-22
Vocabulary
 gondolas
 vocational
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 refinery
 duplex

information have you learned about
Leigh?
Setting
Conflict
Figurative Language
How do Leigh’s feelings about Mr.
Henshaw change? Explain using
evidence from the text.
As the story progresses, answer the
same questions that Leigh has to
answer.
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What is your family like?
Where do you live?
 Character Development: What
Pages 23-26
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new information have you learned
about Leigh?
Setting
Conflict
Figurative Language
As the story progresses, answer
the same questions that Leigh has
to answer.
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Do you have any pets?
Do you like school?
Who are your friends?
Who is your favorite teacher?
 Character Development: What new
Pages 27-30
Vocabulary
 shrubbery
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information have you learned about
Leigh?
Setting
Conflict: How is Leigh feeling about
his mother and father’s divorce? Use
evidence from the text to support
your thinking.
Figurative Language
As the story progresses, answer the
same questions that Leigh has to
answer.
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What bothers you?
What do you wish?
 Character Development: What
Pages 31-37
Vocabulary

 broker
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 partition
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 halyard
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 nuisance
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new information have you learned
about Leigh?
Setting
Conflict
Figurative Language
Why do you think someone keeps
taking things out of Leigh’s
lunch? Do you think it is the same
person each time? Explain.
What piece of advice does Mr.
Henshaw give Leigh about
writing?
Private Diary
of Leigh Botts
Pages 39-44
Vocabulary
 fictitious
 foil
 Character Development
 Setting
 Conflict
 Figurative Language
 Describe Leigh’s Christmas
vacation. What were some of his
fears and wishes?
 Do you think Leigh will foil
whoever is stealing things from
his lunch by writing a fictitious
name on it? Explain.
Private Diary
of Leigh Botts
Pages 45-53
 Character Development
 Setting
 Conflict
 Figurative Language
 Why did Leigh stop writing to the
real Mr. Henshaw?
 What did you learn about Leigh’s
mother from the dinner
conversation she had with Leigh?
 Character Development
Pages 55-59
Vocabulary
 hibernated
 Setting
 Conflict
 Figurative Language
 Do you think all kids are worried
about not being noticed? What
about adults?
 Why did Leigh start writing to Mr.
Henshaw again?
From the Diary
of Leigh Botts
Pages 61-72
Vocabulary
 scowling
 ulcers
 wrath
Character Development
Setting
Conflict: What complication has arisen?
Figurative Language
Make a list of topics Leigh could write a
story about.
 Describe Leigh’s dad’s character traits.
How is Leigh feeling about his father? If
you could only choose one word to
describe Leigh’s dad, what word would
it be? Explain why you chose that word
using evidence from the text to support
your thinking.
 Why is Leigh mad at his mom for
getting a divorce when she is there for
him every day?
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From the Diary
of Leigh Botts
Pages 73-87
Vocabulary
 tavern
 molest
 Character Development
 Setting
 Conflict
 Figurative Language
 Has Leigh grown as a writer, like he
hoped to do at the beginning of the
story? Explain using evidence from
the text.
 Describe Mr. Fridley’s relationship
with Leigh.
 What event happened to change
Leigh’s mood from negative to
positive? What happened as a
result?
 Character Development
Pages 89-91
 Setting
 Conflict
 Figurative Language
 Has Leigh solved any problems so
far in this story? Or has he
changed in any way? Explain
using evidence from the text.
From the Diary of
Leigh Botts Vol. 2
Pages 93-104
 Character Development
 Setting
 Conflict
 Figurative Language
 How did Leigh handle the
situation with the lunchbox thief?
What happened as a result?
From the Diary of
Leigh Botts Vol. 2
Pages 104-121
Vocabulary
 prose
 Character Development
 Setting
 Conflict
 Figurative Language
 What piece of writing to Leigh
decide to enter in the Young
Writer’s contest? Describe what
happened after he entered the
contest. Be sure to include his
feelings in your retelling.
 Describe how Leigh’s feelings
about his dad have changed over
the course of the story.
 Character Development
Page 123
 Setting
 Conflict
 Figurative Language
 How has Mr. Henshaw shaped
Leigh’s life? Use evidence from
the story to support your
thinking.
From the Diary
of Leigh Botts
Pages 125
 Character Development
 Setting
 Conflict
 Figurative Language
 Describe Leigh’s feelings at the end
of the story. Are they different from
how he felt at the beginning?
 Where do you see Leigh’s
relationship with his father going?
Do you think his dad will come to
visit him more often or not? On what
do you base your thinking?
Novel Projects
 Letter: Write a letter to one of your favorite
author’s.
 Narrative: Write a short story about