The World According to Humphrey

by Betty G. Birney

Book Overview

The first book in the series about everyone's favorite classroom pet

You can learn a lot about life by observing another species. That's what Humphrey was told when he was first brought to Room 26. And boy, is it true In addition to having FUN-FUN-FUN in class, each weekend this amazing hamster gets to sleep over with a different student, like Lower-Your-Voice-A.J. and Speak-Up-Sayeh. Soon Humphrey learns to read, write, and even...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0142403520
• ISBN13: 9780142403525
• Release Date: May 2005
• Publisher: Puffin Books
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 0.29 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.0" x 7.6"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

Great story!

I teach second grade and am reading this to my class. They are really enjoying the story which is told from the point of view of Humphrey the hamster. The writing is kid friendly and very engaging. If I miss a day the kids are asking me when I'll read about Humphrey again. I bought the other book, Friendship According to Humphrey, and plan on reading that to the kids, also.

Great Chapter Book for K-3

My Kindergarten boy LOVES this book! I read it to him every night, and he was very sad when we finished, because he wanted it to go on and on!!!! Humphrey is a delightful character. The teachers, school children and others in the book such as the pincipal, custodian and teacher's husband all are characters the young reader can appreciate and enjoy. Humphrey learns about each character's problem when he goes home with him or her over a weekeend or holiday, comes up with "a Plan" for each to help with the problem, and teaches each child valuable lessons. Nothing not to like here!!!! Great book to be read to Kindergarteners. Good read-it-yourself chapter book for good readers, 2nd grade probably. 15 chapters. Not an early chapter book.

A new classic

This is an utterly charming book right up there with such classics as "Charlotte's Web" and the "Cricket of Times Square" where an animal gently befriends and teaches humans lessons one usually doesn't learn in school. All it takes is a "Plan" and sometimes "Great Effort" as Humphrey would say.

A fun hamster's-eye view of life and school

Humphrey the hamster learns a lot about life - by observing the humans who care for him in his classroom. Each weekend he experiences a different student, learns to read, write and becomes nearly human himself in World According To Humphrey -- a fun hamster's-eye view of life and school.