
Age rating and parents' guide:The World According to Humphrey
by Betty G. Birney
Ages 6–11
The World According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney is best for children aged 6–11. It has no violence, nothing scary, no romance and no bad language.
Classroom hamster Humphrey secretly helps students and teachers solve personal problems while observing school life from his cage.
Content ratings
How much of each a parent can expect, from none to strong.
- Violence
- None
- Scary moments
- None
- Romance
- None
- Bad language
- None
Content checked by Dhiraj Bodade, co-founder of Bookstaken, on .
At a glance
- Early chapter book
- Part of the Humphrey series
- Easy to get into from the first page
- Plenty of illustrations
- Emotionally light
- A good pick for reluctant readers
Great for kids who like
- Realistic Fiction (School & Friendships)
- Animals
- School life
Reading mood
- Character-driven
Good to talk about
- School life
- Realistic Fiction (School & Friendships)
Books like The World According to Humphrey
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