Friendship According to Humphrey
Grade 2-4 - The adorable and intelligent hamster introduced inThe World According to Humphrey(Putnam, 2004) is dismayed to find that he shares his status as classroom pet with a frog. Try as he might, Humphrey cannot seem to make friends with Og, who just splashes him or says "BOING!" The little rodent, who can secretly write, learn, and get out of his cage, also uses his wits to effect positive outcomes of the various subplots, including a new girl who won't talk and has trouble making friends, two pals who get into a terrible fight, a bully who causes trouble on the bus, and the janitor who dreams of going back to college. The theme of friendship is as pervasive as the title implies, making this chapter book a charming read-aloud. Pair this tale with Frank Asch'sSurvival School(S & S, 2003) for an appreciation of animals in the classroom.- Debbie Whitbeck, West Ottawa Public Schools, Holland, MICopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.