The Trouble According to Humphrey

by Betty Birney

Puffin
Ages 7-up
225 pages

Welcome to another fun filled year with Humphrey and the students of Room 26. There is a mystery (the unlocked cage door), and suspicion (one student is blamed), and a model community (the students name it Humphreyville and even build a statue of their beloved schoolroom pet.

Students have their usual fun with Humphrey who helps Sit-Still-Seth learn to be a good quiet student, and takes some of the crankiness away from Don't-Complain-Mandy-Payne. And Humphrey even has his first run-away train ride. (in a model train, of course).

But the mystery puts some darkness into this usually happy series. And Humphrey is sad for much of the book because he is the reason one of his favorite friends, Golden Miranda, is in trouble. In order to make things right for her, Humphrey has to give up something very important, and more trouble arises when someone tries to get him kicked out of Room 26 forever!

Will things ever settle down in Room 26? Not while Humphrey's around!

A fourth book of Humphrey's adventures is due out in 2008. Rumor says it will be called SURPRISES ACCORDING TO HUMPHREY! I can't wait!

Review by J.