Henry Huggins Turns 75
For those who don’t know who Henry Huggins is, he’s the beloved fictional character in many of local author Beverly Cleary’s children’s books. By way of introduction in 1950, Henry was described by Cleary as a third grader whose “hair looked like a scrubbing brush and most of his grown-up front teeth were in.” By the book’s third page, Henry adopts a stray dog he names Ribsy, and the pair become inseparable. Their relationship paves the way for many Henry Huggins boyhood adventures.
Cleary, who passed away in 2021 at the age of 104, grew up in the Grant Park and Beaumont-Wilshire neighborhoods. As a librarian in Portland in the 1940s, she used her gift of recall to weave stories about growing up in her neighborhood in a way that resonated with kids who were also growing up. According to Wikipedia, she has been credited as one of the first authors of children’s literature to figure emotional realism in the narratives of her characters, often children in middle-class families. Worldwide, 91 million of her books have been sold.
For more information about Henry Huggins, visit tinyurl.com/4evypxss. For more information about Beverly Cleary, visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beverly_Cleary.
Small Business Grants Now Available Through Prosper Portland
City of Portland licensed small businesses with ground-floor, customer-facing storefronts (including food carts) that have experienced physical damage from vandalism/break-ins or taken preventive steps are eligible for reimbursement grants for:
- Exterior Repairs: e.g., window/door repair, graffiti removal, lighting
- Interior Repairs (up to $2,500): e.g., counter, door, or equipment repairs
- Security & Prevention: e.g., cameras, alarm systems, gates, lighting, safes
- Insurance Premium Increases (up to $5,000): Premium increases for 2025-26
For more information visit Prosper Portland at prosperportland.us/our-work/repair-restore-grant-program.