What a delightful read!
Humphrey is a kind, open-minded hamster who makes friends easily. He is fiercely loyal and quick to go out of his way to lend a helping hand - or paw, as Humphrey would say!
Through this first-person narrative from the perspective of a classroom pet, young readers will see that first impressions are not always accurate; that people are multifaceted, and you can't really understand a person until you see all aspects of his/her life; that sometimes, when people have problems, it takes an outsider - like Humphrey! - to open their eyes to a solution.
I love that this book is multicultural and inclusive. There are all sorts of ethnic-sounding names - Art Patel, Sayeh Nasiri (whose mother doesn't speak English well), Aldo Amato - and there's even a physically handicapped character. It's just nice to see diversity being matter-of-factly represented.
I think I alone would have given this book 4 stars, because I really liked it, but I didn't LOVE it. Still, since it was able to hold Sebastien's interest - despite having no pictures - I think it's worth an extra 1/2-star.
Overall, this book was a pleasant read with nothing objectionable to worry about. It's just the first in a series, and it'll be fun to see what other adventures and lessons are in store for Humphrey!
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