MY BOOKS: Surprises According To Humphrey
Surprises According to Humphrey

SURPRISE! Humphrey gets a hamster ball!
I tried to slow down, but it was too late. The ball bounced off the wall and shot back toward the aisle. I was now upside down, and before I could get back on my feet, I came to a stop that was so sudden, I did a double flip inside the ball. I looked up and saw a large foot in a sensible black shoe.

SURPRISE! Humphrey meets Mrs. Wright!
Mrs. Brisbane rushed out into the hallway and hurried toward us. "What's wrong, Mrs. Wright?"
That sounded funny, but I wasn't in the mood to laugh. I was afraid Mrs. Wright might blow her whistle again.
"I just happened to be coming down the hall when I found your rat out here!"
"For goodness' sake." Mrs. Brisbane leaned down and picked up the ball. "How did you get out here?"

SURPRISE! Aldo disappears!
"You don't think she could be one of them" I asked. "Because in that movie, the space aliens captured a human and took him to their planet. I mean, you don't think that happened to Aldo, do you?"
Og stayed very quiet.

Send a Card SURPRISE! Humphrey meets an arch enemy!
The cat leaned in closer and opened his mouth wider to show off his pointed teeth, just in case I missed them the first time. He took his paw off the top of the ball. Whew! Maybe he was losing interest.

SURPRISE! Humphrey makes his own dictionary!
WHISTLE:
A shiny device that, when someone blows in it, makes an ear-splitting sound that can seriously hurt the delicate ears of small creatures like hamsters. Use whistles sparingly, if at all. (Some humans can whistle without a device, but hamsters never can.)
- Humphrey's Dictionary of Wonderful Words.

SURPRISE! A.J. and Garth have a BIG-BIG-BIG misunderstanding.

SURPRISE! Humphrey visits Maycrest Manor - wherever that is!

SURPRISE! Room 26 has a Wacky Wednesday - whatever that is!

SURPRISE! Principal Morales' Suggestion Box gets a surprising and mysterious message.

SURPRISE! There's no way we're giving away all the surprises in this book right here!


NEWS, AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS:

    Now on the Master List for the Kansas Young Hoosier's Award, 2011-2012

Master List for the Texas Bluebonnet Award and the Iowa Children's Choice Award 2009

Kansas State Reading Circle 2009 Recommended Reading List

 

Surprises According to Humphrey was a Book Sense Spring Children's Pick



REVIEWS:
"In this fourth title featuring classroom hamster Humphrey, the surprises abound. Some are fun, such as the entertaining, if occasionally scary, new hamster ball, and some are not: best friends A.J. and Garth are feuding, janitor Aldo may have been replaced by an alien; and the teacher, Mrs. Brisbane, may retire. Narrated in Humphrey's lively voice, the story is characteristically amusing and incorporates kid-relevant issues, such as being the last chosen for sports teams and the importance and respect, support, kindness and appreciation. New and returning readers will enjoy the caring hamster's unique perspective on everything from friendship to fire drills."
  Booklist

"With his usual flair, Humphrey plots to help his humans overcome their problems. Each chapter ends with a definition from his Dictionary of Wonderful Words. Humphrey is a witty, fun, and lovable character with great kid appeal. This tale can be read independently of the previous novels."
  School Library Journal



EDITIONS:
UK Cover
U.K. (Faber & Faber)
Audio Cover
Brilliance Audio