Betty G. Birney

Humphrey’s Really Wheely Racing Day & Humphrey’s Playful Puppy Problem by Betty G. Birney

Everyone’s Favorite Classroom Pet, Humphrey, is Back in New Tiny Tales

 

Humphrey’s Really Wheely Racing Day & Humphrey’s Playful Puppy Problem
Written by Betty G. Birney and Illustrated by Priscilla Burris
(Putnam Juvenile, Paperback $4.99, Ages 5-8)

How do you introduce a younger age group to the adventures and antics of America’s popular classroom pet? With Humphrey’s Tiny Tales, a new chapter book series created for the K-3 crowd by Betty G. Birney.  A step up from easy readers, the first two books in the series are sure to attract a legion of devoted fans.

Humphrey-reallywheely-cvr.jpgBirney’s award-winning middle grade novels are a mainstay on reading lists across the country so it’s no surprise that both author and publisher would want to share beloved teacher Mrs. Brisbane’s insightful and friendly hamster with chapter book readers. Featuring shorter page counts, delightful illustrations, fewer characters and easier reading level, Humphrey’s Really Wheely Racing Day (Book No. 1) and Humphrey’s Playful Puppy Problem (Book No. 2) are perfect for holiday break time when reading is not high on many kids’ lists.

In Humphrey’s Really Wheely Racing Day, (Book No. 1), our “positive role model,” rodent is rolling all right! After trying his hamster friend, Winky’s, auto, Humphrey wants a really wheely car, too. A hamster wheel and a ball are okay, but an automobile’s extra exciting, especially when Mrs. Brisbane gets one for Humphrey. Everyone’s even more surprised to learn that Humphrey will be racing against Don’t Complain-Mandy Payne’s pet hamster, Winky, for all the school to see!

Humphrey-playfupuppy-cvr.jpgIn Humphrey’s Playful Puppy Problem (Book No. 2), Richie Rinaldi (school custodian Aldo’s nephew) has Humphrey for the weekend and plans to use him in his science experiment. While Humphrey fears being turned into “Humphrey-stein,” it’s GREAT-GREAT-GREAT when he realizes he’s just going to be timed on his wheel. What he doesn’t like is the WOOF-WOOF-WOOF of Richie’s puppy Poppy with her wet nose and sharp teeth getting too close for comfort. Will she figure out how to open his cage’s lock-that-doesn’t-lock? Will Humphrey save Richie’s experiment so it’s a DING-DING-DING success? Read how a helpful, happy hamster makes everything right.

Coming this spring, Humphrey’s Creepy-Crawly Camping Adventure

– Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

Share this:

Humphrey the Hamster’s on the Case

9780142426692HMYSTERIES ACCORDING TO HUMPHREY (Puffin Books, $5.99, ages 8 and up) by Betty G. Birney contains everything a young reader would want: humor, conflict, animals, action, assorted students and teachers, good advice, and great plotting all packed into an enjoyable paperback.

After reading this early chapter book I can easily understand why the Humphrey series is featured on 24 state lists. Humphrey, the classroom pet (along with Og the Frog) stars in nine different books, each with straightforward themes such as SURPRISES ACCORDING TO HUMPHREY, ADVENTURE ACCORDING TO HUMPHREY and FRIENDSHIP ACCORDING TO HUMPHREY. They also contain the same tight writing, wit and wisdom readers will expect from Birney after reading the first in the series, THE WORLD ACCORDING TO HUMPHREY.

I love a good mystery and with this story I got more than one upon visiting Room 26 at Longfellow School. First there’s the Sherlock Holmes story, “The Adventure of the Red-Headed League,” teacher Mrs. Brisbane is reading the class. Then there’s the classwork where the students are tasked with discovering the mysterious word’s meaning; piewhacked is the first one they must figure out. Piewhacked? But when principal Mr. Morales announces to Room 26 that a substitute is going to take care of the class, the biggest mystery begins to unfold.

Mr. Edonopulous (AKA Mr. E), the substitute, is a puzzle to the kids in Room 26. He’s nice and friendly, but he’s always turning every lesson into some kind of game, he doesn’t assign homework (which has both its up and down sides), and he keeps getting chastised by the co-chairperson of the School Safety Committee (AKA whistle-clutching Mrs. Wright, the PE instructor) for not following the rules. What gives here? Then there’s Thomas and Joey, classmates who should be friends except Thomas’s constant exaggerating and lying has put a wedge between the boys. Humphrey wonders how he can solve this social dilemma. Woven throughout Humphrey’s detective work runs the longest thread and that’s the one causing him the most anxiety – the longer Mr. E remains means the longer Mrs. Brisbane stays away. Did something happen to her? Did she take a new job? Are clues adding up to a ballet career for Mrs. B? Will they ever find out the ending of the Sherlock Holmes story?

There are so many different and interesting story elements at work to hold readers’ attention and make them eager to read on. Plus kids will care about Humphrey because he’s such a compassionate rodent. Humphrey’s Detectionary at the end of each chapter often serves as his observations and commentary on humans, i.e. “It’s a mystery to me why humans enjoy a very frightening holiday like Halloween!”

Solve your kids’ summer reading quandry with MYSTERIES ACCORDING TO HUMPHREY and find fun Humphrey activities and teachers’ guides at www.penguin.com/humphrey. What more clues do you need?

 

– Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

Share this:
Back To Top
%d bloggers like this: