Literature / Henry Reed

Henry Reed is a series of five children's novels written by Keith Robertson (1914-1991) and illustrated by Robert McCloskey. The title character, Henry Reed, is the son of American diplomats stationed overseas, but for the summer he visits his maternal uncle in the small village of Grover's Corner, New Jersey, where his mother grew up. The only child near his age is Midge, a year younger than him and is the daughter of a Princeton research scientist. The books are written as though it is Henry writing in his journal, and his straight-laced recital of what happened that day reflects his lack of understanding what chaos his actions caused.

The series should not be confused with the British poet or several other real life people with the same name.

The five books are:

• Henry Reed Inc. (1958)
• Henry Reed's Journey (1963)
• Henry Reed's Babysitting Service (1966)
• Henry Reed's Big Show (1970)
• Henry Reed's Think Tank (1986)

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• Babysitting Episode: the third book, where Henry decides to start a babysitting service as he doesn't have enough time left in the summer to do what he did the previous summer.
• Brownface: in the second book, Henry and Midge are painted to look like Indians so that they can participate with the Indians in the parade.
• The Bus Came Back: the Apples were not mentioned in the 2nd book, and in the third they are said to have moved away and it is a different family in their house. The Apples returned in the fourth book.
• Coincidence Magnet / It Runs in the Family: according to his uncle, Henry is just like his mother in that weird incidents occur whenever either is around.
• Cranky Neighbor: the Apples in the first and fourth book
• Diaries Are Girly: Henry is insistent that he is writing a journal, as diaries are what girls do.
• Initiation Ceremony: Henry and Midge are initiated into the Indian tribe so that the tribe's claim that all their participants are Indians can be maintained.
• Invisible Parents: Henry's parents are never in the story; just his uncle and aunt.
• Not Allowed to Grow Up: the first four books take place over three consecutive summers, and Henry and Midge age realistically (Henry from thirteen to fifteen, Midge a year younger). Enter the fifth book, written years later, and their ages are rebooted back even thro it is set immediately after the fourth book.
• Road Trip Plot: The second book features Henry and Midge traveling with her parents from California back to New Jersey.