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Overview
Humphrey loves to solve problems for his classmates in Room 26, but he never meant to create one! Golden-Miranda, one of his favorite students, gets blamed when Humphrey is caught outside of his cage while she’s in charge. Since no one knows about his lock-that-doesn’t-lock, he can’t exactly squeak up to defend her. Humphrey really has his paws full when Don’t-Complain- Mandy-Payne and her family stir up more big trouble. Humphrey manages to help Pay-Attention-Art and Sit-Still-Seth and even survives a trip to the vet, but can he clear Miranda’s name without giving up his freedom forever?
Synopsis
Humphrey usually helps solve problems, but now he's caused a big one: Golden-Miranda gets in trouble when Humphrey is caught outside of his cage on her watch. No one knows about his lock-that-doesn't-lock and he can't exactly squeak up on her behalf. While Humphrey manages to show Pay-Attention-Art that math is important outside of class, help Sit-Still-Seth actually sit still, and survive a trip to the vet, can he clear Miranda's name without giving up his freedom forever?
Friendship According to Humphrey received a Christopher Award and kids voted The World According to Humphrey the winner of state book awards in RI, MD and PA. Plus, it's nominated for eleven others so far (WA, MN, FL, LA, OK, SC, PA, NC, UT, IA, ME). Reviewers have called him “delightful,” “irresistible,” “big hearted” and “perky.”
Publishers Weekly
PW called The World According to Humphrey a "breezy, well-crafted first novel." The hamster hero is back for a third adventure as the class pet in Room 26, Trouble According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney, in which he may have to choose between defending Miranda (after Humphrey is caught on the loose on her watch) and losing his privileges (no one is wise to his cage's broken lock). Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.
Editorials
Publishers Weekly
PW called The World According to Humphrey a "breezy, well-crafted first novel." The hamster hero is back for a third adventure as the class pet in Room 26, Trouble According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney, in which he may have to choose between defending Miranda (after Humphrey is caught on the loose on her watch) and losing his privileges (no one is wise to his cage's broken lock). Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.Children's Literature -
Humphrey is a very special hamster and he lives in Room 26. His home is a cage sitting on a table next to a window in Longfellow School. His good friend is a frog named Og. From time to time Humphrey and Og have all kinds of great adventures and, sometimes, all kinds of trouble. In this story, readers will see how Humphrey's human classmates have come to depend on him for help. He learns about many things in life and writes in his notebook about the travels he experiences through the lives of his classmates, such as the time that he helped two young friends who had grown apart come back together again! This story of Humphrey could be good reading for a class in any setting. While listening to this story, children can learn as they hear how animals live and behave. The young reader is brought into a new world of words which can easily be added to their already growing vocabulary. Humphrey's adventures are interesting and fun to read and listen to.School Library Journal
Gr 2–4Humphrey is just as lovable and sweet as he was in Friendship According to Humphrey (Putnam, 2005). Still a classroom pet, the hamster learns that his freedom may not be as important as his loyalty to his human friends. The students of Room 26 are assigned jobs as part of a social-studies project. When the hamster gets out of his cage, it is not because the student in charge did not lock the door, but because it does not lock. Humphrey feels guilty for getting his friend in trouble and spends the rest of the book trying to make it right. Along the way, he helps a child learn how to concentrate, reunites two friends, is banned from the classroom, and visits the vet. His escapades teach honesty, responsibility, and the consequences of actions. Essential reading for students who already love Humphrey.
—Delia CarruthersCopyright 2006 Reed Business Information.