Trouble According to Humphrey

Trouble According to Humphrey
by, Betty G. Birney

In this novel, Humphrey, the class hamster from room 26 at Longfellow elementary school looks out for his friends in Mrs. Brisbane’s class. Seth has trouble sitting still and paying attention; Art is always thinking of his trains, but isn’t thinking about his math; Mandy complains constantly, but has big trouble at home; Paul is really good at math, but feels sad that his classmates call him a no-it-all. When Humphrey is caught outside of his cage, Miranda (one of the nicest girls in the class) gets blamed and Humphrey struggles with the guilt he feels for getting her into trouble.

I chose this book because my 4th grade son suggested it to me. As I read this book, it became clear to me why students in the middle to upper elementary school grades might enjoy this book. The diverse characters will appeal to a wide range of readers, and students will easily be able to relate to this book. In this book, Birney skillfully combines humor and valuable lessons about friendship and honesty for the elementary school aged child. My son and I both giggled as we read, and I look forward to reading other Humphrey books in the series.