Tracy PopolizioHumphrey is a hamster. Not just any hamster, either. Humphrey is the class pet for Room 26. That is, until Og the frog shows up at the start of the new school year. Humphrey is so excited at the prospect of making a new friend, but with the language barrier between him and Og, not to mention some “different” behaviors, it makes for a difficult and sometimes unintentional hurtful relationship.
Betty G. Birney blends humor with a strong lesson on friendship for any middle-grade student, and is written from Humphrey’s perspective. By watching the students in class navigate through challenging experiences, as well as interactions with the night janitor, Humphrey learns what a true friend is and how to be one.
Over the course of that school year, Humphrey learned that, “There were friends who got really mad but made up afterward. There were friends who stuck together through thick and thin. There were friends who reached out to you even when you didn’t think you needed a friend.” As we head into a new school year, the lessons taught here are good reminders in how to be a good friend, even when people are different from us.
Have you read any of the Humphrey books? Or have you ever struggled to make friends? I’d love to hear from you. Remember, any comments left this month and you will be entered into a drawing for our August giveaway. It’s not too late!
Gretchen Carlson
Candice Yamnitz
Kristen Gwen
As an elementary student, my teachers used to read us the Humphrey books during school. They were enjoyable and not challenging.
Wow how cool! Honestly I’ve never heard of them until this year, and I only know there’s more than one because of the back cover!
Sounds like such a cute book. Making friends can be really hard. Thanks for sharing this.
It was really cute. An easy read but very enjoyable!
I love hamsters!
Me too! I used to have one that looked just like Humphrey!