Dear Mr. Henshaw Trivia Quiz

Answer: Ways to Amuse a Dog

In his first letter, he writes that he and his class "licked it" instead of "liked it". Mr. Henshaw has other books, but Leigh talks about this one the most, and he feels good when he reads it. Later in the story, he buys a copy at a garage sale. I made up the other answers.

Answer: Bandit hopped into Leigh's father's truck.

Instead of a collar, the dog wore a bandana around his neck, so Leigh's family called him Bandit. He doesn't live with Leigh and his mother because, if he did, he would have to be alone a lot, and he'd get bored. Instead, he rides in the rig with Leigh's father.

Answer: A list of questions for Leigh to answer.

Leigh doesn't want to write back, but his mother finds the list and makes him respond. Leigh's excuse for writing is that the television is broken. Through these questions, we find out a lot about him, like that his parents are now divorced and that someone steals the good things from his lunch. In this way, Leigh develops his writing and continues writing in a journal to "Mr. Pretend Henshaw".

Though we never get to read any of the letters or postcards, Mr. Henshaw writes to Leigh throughout the book.

Answer: Custodian

Leigh helps Mr. Fridley raise the flag at school. Leigh tells Mr. Fridley about the thief who steals from his lunchbag.

Answer: Kid

Bill often tells Leigh, "Keep your nose clean, kid." Leigh finally snaps at him during a phone call, yelling that his name's Leigh, and that he's not "some kid" on the street.

Answer: Leigh hears a boy in the background asking about pizza.

Bill had promised to call him but never did, so Leigh makes the call. He hears a boy call his father "Bill" and ask about getting pizza. He thinks that if his dad was going to take another boy out for pizza, then he wasn't going to call him that night.

Answer: $20

Bill writes a note on a napkin saying that he's sorry and for Leigh to "buy yourself an ice cream cone." At first, Leigh wants to save the money for a typewriter, but comes up with a better use for it...

Answer: He makes a burglar alarm for his lunchbox.

Using the money his dad sent him, he buys a lunchbox and supplies to rig up a burglar alarm. The day he brings it in, no one steals from him, so Leigh has to set off his own alarm. The principal isn't upset, however, and praises his invention. Several kids want to know how to make alarms, and one kid, Barry, asks Leigh to help him make an alarm for his room at home. No one steals Leigh's lunch again; he doesn't even need to set up the alarm.

Answer: Riding in a truck with his dad.

He tries writing a story about a wax man who drives a truck but can't think of where to go with it. He also considers writing about the lunch thief, but doesn't know how to end it because he never figures out who the thief is. Instead, he writes a true story about the day his dad hauled grapes in the truck and took him along for the ride.

Answer: She read his story.

The winners of the writing contest get to meet an author. Leigh only gets an Honorable Mention but gets to meet the author anyway--the teachers found out that one of the winners cheated to win, so Leigh gets to take her place. Leigh is surprised that a "real live" author took the time to read children's stories. Angela tells him that he writes honestly and doesn't copy another's style.

It turns out that she once met Mr. Henshaw and thinks he's a nice man.