Shelly's Book Blog

I guess I'm just into cute furry animals right now, because I just finished The World According to Humphrey, by Betty Birney. Humphrey the hamster stars in and narrates this middle grade novel about his adventures as the class pet in an elementary school classroom. Mrs. Brisbane, the teacher, doesn't seem happy when she returns from an extended leave to find that the substitute teacher, Ms. Mac, brought Humphrey to class and that the children want very much for him to stay. She thinks of him as a nuisance and does not want to take him home with her each weekend as Ms. Mac had done, so the children get to take turns taking Humphrey home. These visits to the kids' various homes, as well as Humphrey's weekday talks with the school janitor, Aldo, provide Humphrey and his readers with fodder for many pleasant adventures. I think both boys and girls will enjoy tagging along with Humphrey and hearing about his life in Room 26!