Friday, February 22, 2013

Care of Henry by Anne Fine illustrated by Paul Howard




Using a check list to make an important decision is at the heart of this beginning chapter book called Care of Henry by master story teller Anne Fine.

Hugo has to find someone to stay with, while his mum is in hospital having a baby - the baby will be his new sister.  Hugo meets a man who comes to inspect their house which is for sale. The man has a check list of requirements for his new home and he shows this to Hugo. This is an inspirational idea to Hugo - he makes a check list of all the things he needs so he can decide where to stay.


  • Food - what will you feed me?
  • Entertainment - can I watch my favourite shows on television?
  • Bathtime - can I have it deep with lots of bubbles?
  • Strictness - can I skip school and visit mum at the hospital?
  • Care of Henry - can I bring my dog, what will you feed him and can he sleep in my room?



Hugo asks his Granny - surprisingly she gets four crosses and one tick.  Mrs Mariposa next door gets four ticks and one cross because Henry is not allowed to come. Uncle Jack gets three ticks, one cross - Henry cannot stay in his apartment, and one wobbly tick because the food sounds a little odd.  How will Hugo decide where to stay?

This is a terrific little book for our Grade 3 students as they look at texts using persuasion   Our library copy was very worn out but just last week I found a new copy with a smart new cover. I recommend this book for all young dog lovers.

I discovered a UK theatre production of Care of Henry. Listen to an audio sample here.  Anne Fine is the author of another very special book -  Bill's New Frock.


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