Gr 1–3—When he finds out that Room 26 will march in a parade at the school fair, Humphrey the hamster is so excited, especially when he learns that the children will be featuring him and Og the Frog on their class signs. But when Mrs. Brisbane decides it's too dangerous to allow pets to march, Aldo the janitor comes up with a creative solution. These early chapter book companions to Birney's middle-grade Humphrey stories feature a nicely developed voice and facts about pet care inserted organically into the narrative. These books stand alone well, but animal lovers won't want to miss Humphrey's other adventures.

K-Gr 3—You can't keep a good hamster down. Humphrey, the hamster who lives in Mrs. Brisbane's class and who first appeared in The World According to Humphrey (Putnam, 2004) pops up again in the latest installment of a spin-off series that's ideal for novice readers. Here, Humphrey heads home for the weekend with Heidi for a camp-out sleepover. Heidi and pals are psyched—until the boys show up and the night takes a turn for the scary. Small but mighty, Humphrey is an endearing and earnest narrator whose gentle but on-the-nose observations will resonate with budding readers.