BOOK REPORT : THE WORLD ACCORDING TO HUMPHREY

This book is called THE WORLD ACCORDING TO HUMPHREY, written by Betty G.Birney. It is about a hamster called Humphrey who is narrating his story. He is a class pet who has many adventures. The title of the book is called “The World According To Humphrey" because it is about how he sees the world as a giant place where everyone needs help. The story starts when he is brought to class by Ms.Mac, a replacement teacher. The kids love Humphrey. But, when Ms.Brisbane (the actual teacher) comes back, Humphrey thinks that Ms.Mac is taking him with her but when she explains to Ms.Brisbane how he teaches the kids responsibility, she has to keep him! Ms.Brisbane does not like rodents at all so unlike Ms Mac who used to take Humphrey home on weekends, she leaves him behind in school alone. On the first weekend, when Humphrey is left in the classroom, he is terrified but he meets the new cleaner Arron and becomes close friends with him. From then on, Arron comes every night, cleans the classroom and then eats his dinner with Humphrey and in this way, Humphrey too helps the lonely Arron by becoming his friend. Oh uh! The summer holidays are coming and so the class mothers decide that every weekend, a different student takes Humphrey home. Humphrey is excited and he has new adventures each week with the children (one of his scariest ones is when he faces Clef the dog). Thanksgiving comes and nobody can take Humphrey home. So Ms.Brisbane takes Humphrey home and Humphrey helps grumpy old Mr.Brisbane and makes him cheery and happy again. Ms.Brisbane starts liking Humphrey and then the last surprise of the year is … Ms.Mac! She comes for a visit and yes, Humphrey is excited but now knows that he is in the right place because if Ms Mac had taken him, he wouldn’t have helped the people that he did!

What I like about the book:

▪     Is the way it is funny in some parts like when Humphrey also does a spelling test and gets 73%! A hamster doing spelling tests? Seriously?! J

▪     The way Humphrey finds a way to help everybody when he goes to their houses! For example, Sayeh doesn’t speak up but Humphrey makes Sayeh and her family talk more and encourages them to start to speak to each other in English

▪     I think the lesson in this book is that whoever you are, you can do anything! Because, Humphrey always helps people in need even though he was just a hamster!

▪     I like that Betty G.Birney made this a first person book in which Humphrey is writing this all.

What I think my reader friends will find interesting are:

       1) The way a Hamster saves the day. If you were a hamster would you think that you could help so many people as well as communicate with them ?

       2) The way the story is funny and unbelievable at the same time. Like, I told you before about the spelling test.

       3) Finally, I also think that the lesson in this book is quite important because it teaches you to believe in yourself!

But there are parts in the story where I think something is missing like when Humphrey and Mrs.Brisbane like each other and get back to school from Thanksgiving, she doesn’t share with the children that she and Humphrey are friends now.  

I WOULD GIVE IT A 8 OUT OF 10 RATING! 

FIND OUT WHAT I MEAN BY READING ‘THE WORLD ACCORDING TO HUMPHREY!’

You can buy it here on kindle for $4.62