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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Leigh describe overhearing the boy’s voice saying when he was on the phone with his dad in his diary entry from February 4?

2. By what name does Leigh say his dad goes by on the CB radio in his diary entry from February 2?

3. Where does Leigh say he received a postcard from his father from in his January 19 letter to Mr. Henshaw?

4. Leigh writes in his February 7 diary entry that he went to a grove where what kind of butterflies gather?

5. What does Leigh describe white bread as tasting like in his March 15 diary entry?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is revealed about Leigh’s story, “The Ten-Foot Wax Man,” in his February 15 letter?

2. What exchange does Leigh describe between himself and Mr. Fridley in his February 6 diary entry?

3. Why are there babies in Leigh’s room when he writes his diary entry on February 2?

4. What does Leigh describe buying at the hardware store in his March 3 diary entry? What does Leigh say about the man who works there?

5. How does Leigh describe his and his mother’s exchange after the phone call in his February 5 diary entry?

6. What letter does Leigh describe receiving from his father in his diary entry on February 9? How does Leigh feel about the letter?

7. What does Leigh reveal about Mr. Henshaw’s advice in his letter from February 28?

8. What outcome does Leigh describe of his alarm invention in his diary entries from March 5 and 6?

9. How do Leigh’s diary entries change on February 6? What does Leigh relate in this entry?

10. What is related in Leigh’s “review” of Beggar Bears in his January 15 letter?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the ten questions submitted by Leigh to Mr. Henshaw. Are these effective questions to base an author report on? Why or why not? What questions would you ask your favorite author? Why?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the observations that Leigh makes in his phone call with his father on February 4. What does Leigh learn about his dog, Bandit? Where is Leigh’s dad located during the phone call? How long has he been there?

Essay Topic 3

In Dear Mr. Henshaw, Leigh writes to his favorite author from second through sixth grades. Discuss Beverly Cleary’s use of language to depict the maturity of Leigh as he continues writing to Mr. Henshaw. For instance, what grammatical and spelling errors can you find in Leigh’s early letters? How do Leigh’s mistakes change as he gets older?

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