CHAPTER 1-The Return of Mrs. Brisbane

Humphrey the hamster is the class pet of Room 26 at Longfellow School. He is hurt to learn that Ms. Morgan McNamara (known as Ms. Mac), the teacher who purchased him, is going away and that she will be replaced by Mrs. Brisbane, who is returning. Before Ms. Mac purchased him, Humphrey thought he would never get to see the world outside Pet-O-Rama. Once she set Humphrey’s new cage up at her home, Ms. Mac gave him a small pencil and notebook. Within a week, Humphrey could read and write.

Humphrey got to know the students in Room 26, and life suited him there. He would go home with Ms. Mac at night. He lived content for six weeks, without “an inkling—until this morning—of the unsqueakable thing she was about to do” to him (5). Ms. Mac was a substitute teacher; she took over Mrs. Brisbane’s class while she took care of her injured husband.

Mrs. Brisbane is not pleased with Humphrey’s presence in the classroom. Ms. Mac assures her that the students know how to take care of him. Ms. Mac says her goodbyes and whispers to Humphrey not to forget her. He squeaks, “Not likely. But I don’t know if I can ever forgive you” (7).

At recess, Mrs. Brisbane tells Humphrey he has to go. Humphrey vows that if he goes, it will be on his own terms: the latch to his cage has never locked properly. 

CHAPTER 2-Night Life

Humphrey is “SAD-SAD-SAD” (8) for the rest of the day. Golden-Miranda notices. It is her day to clean his cage and feed him. The food and treats cheer him up, and Humphrey decides to observe Mrs. Brisbane. Mrs. Brisbane is the polar opposite of Ms. Mac in character and appearance.

Mrs. Brisbane asks the class if all Humphrey does is sleep. Raise-Your-Hand Heidi Hopper explains that Humphrey is nocturnal. The class discusses nocturnal animals. Humphrey thinks Mrs. Brisbane could learn from him if she observed him, but she avoids his cage like he has a disease. When she reads the class an engaging ghost story, even Humphrey begins to like her. However, at the end of the day, she leaves him alone for the first time in the classroom.

Humphrey is nervous. He tries writing in his notebook to pass the time. He fondly recalls the warmth and freedom of Ms. Mac’s apartment, until he remembers the “lock-that-doesn’t-lock” (12). He enjoys his new freedom, crawling all around the classroom, until he hears thumping noises eerily reminiscent of Mrs. Brisbane’s ghost story. He panics and tries to get back up to his cage, but he cannot climb up the leg of the table. He manages to get into his cage by climbing up a cord.

The lights turn on and a man with a black mustache enters the room. He introduces himself as Aldo Amato, the janitor who cleans the room every night. Aldo takes a great liking to Humphrey. He dances while he sweeps and mops and frequently roars with laughter. He eats dinner in the room and gives Humphrey some lettuce.

Aldo lost his job and was lucky to be hired at Longfellow School. However, since he works nights, he misses hanging out with his friends. Humphrey tries to tell him about the other animals at the pet store, but all Aldo hears are squeaks. However, he seems to get the message: He will no longer be alone when he works at night. Though Aldo cannot leave the light on, he opens the blinds a bit so that the streetlight shines on Humphrey’s cage.  

CHAPTER 3-The Two Faces of Mrs. Brisbane

The rest of the week is busy. Humphrey learns that “[t]here are two Mrs. Brisbanes” (17). Though she is otherwise a good teacher, Mrs. Brisbane seems to pick on Speak-Up-Sayeh, a quiet, gentle girl who never speaks in class. Mrs. Brisbane calls on her over and over again. She gives Sayeh recess detention. Humphrey sees Sayeh crying silently, and he hates Mrs. Brisbane for it.

During recess, Mrs. Brisbane explains to Sayeh that she is not picking on her. She knows Sayeh aces all of her tests, and she wants her to speak up in class. Sayeh agrees to volunteer an answer in class, and Mrs. Brisbane agrees not to send a letter home to Sayeh’s parents. Humphrey likes this Mrs. Brisbane.

At the end of the day, Mrs. Brisbane’s frightening side returns when she is alone with Humphrey. It was Garth’s day to take care of Humphrey, and he left Humphrey’s area a mess. She angrily cleans it up and vows to get rid of Humphrey.

Humphrey is glad when she leaves. He keeps his mind occupied by studying vocabulary words. Aldo returns and gives Humphrey a small dog biscuit, to his delight. Aldo tells Humphrey that it is lonely not being able to see his friends during the week. He tells him that his nephew, Repeat-That-Please-Richie Rinaldi is in Mrs. Brisbane’s class. Aldo opens the blinds and tells Humphrey he will see him next week.

Humphrey is horrified: He realizes he will be alone over the weekend. He does not think Mrs. Brisbane will bring him home for the weekend like Ms. Mac did. 

CHAPTER 4-The Most Important Man in the World

Friday is Richie’s day to care for Humphrey. The day goes smoothly, but Humphrey is still worried about what will happen to him over the weekend. After school, Heidi Hopper and Art Patel’s mothers discuss Halloween with Mrs. Brisbane. Mr. Morales, the principal of Longfellow School, enters the room. He is the “Most Important Person” at the school (26).

Mr. Morales greets the women. Humphrey discovers that Mrs. Brisbane’s first name is Sue. Mr. Morales is delighted by Humphrey; he explains that he always wanted a hamster growing up. Mrs. Brisbane says that she was thinking of seeing if another teacher would take Humphrey. The room moms say that the children love Humphrey. They suggest having students sign up to take Humphrey home over the weekend. Mr. Morales volunteers to take him home.

Mr. Morales introduces Humphrey to his children, Willie, age five, and Brenda, age seven. They are hyper, and Humphrey is easily overwhelmed. Mrs. Morales does not seem pleased with the hamster, but she has to leave to showcase a house. The children will not calm down. Humphrey realizes that “[t]he Most Important Person at Longfellow School was not treated with respect in his own house” (31).

Willie points out Humphrey’s waste in the corner, which Humphrey finds incredibly rude. Brenda squeezes Humphrey so hard he squeals. Mr. Morales sends them to their rooms. He slumps next to Humphrey’s cage. He tells Humphrey that he is not respected in his own house. Humphrey vows to teach the children a lesson.

CHAPTER 5-Plans Are Hatched

Humphrey waits until Mr. Morales leaves the room, then he slips out of his cage and hides behind the curtains. Mr. Morales is frantic when he sees Humphrey is gone. Humphrey feels bad and lets Mr. Morales find him; however, he scampers away when the principal tries to grab him.

Mr. Morales gets an idea. He calls the children to close all of the doors: He says Humphrey escaped because they scared him. He gets Willie and Brenda to cooperate on a plan to get Humphrey back into the cage. They make a trail of seeds leading to the cage. Humphrey goes along with it.

The rest of the weekend goes smoothly. Mr. Morales and Humphrey’s plan did the trick: Willie and Brenda respect him more. Mr. Morales calls him a true friend. Back at school on Monday, all of the children volunteer to take a turn hosting Humphrey on a weekend.

Aldo mentions he wishes he had a girlfriend. On a Wednesday afternoon, while Humphrey wanders around the classroom at night, he finds a newspaper ad for a club for people who work graveyard shift. He cuts it out with his teeth and puts it conspicuously by his cage to attract Aldo’s attention; however, Aldo does not acknowledge the clipping.

When Mrs. Brisbane wheels in an overhead projector the next day, Humphrey hatches a plan.  

CHAPTER 6-Moonlight Madness

That night, Humphrey implements his plan. Sliding down the table leg makes him queasy, but he thinks that “it would be worthwhile if [he] could get Aldo a girlfriend” (42). The climb up to the counter and the jump to the projector are precarious for a small animal, but Humphrey makes it. He places the clipping on the projector’s light table and turns it on. The information about the Moonlighters Club is projected on the wall. He barely makes it back into the cage before Aldo enters the classroom. Aldo turns off the projector but does a doubletake. He reads the ad. He appears interested but never mentions the ad again. Humphrey is frustrated, but at least he tried—unlike Sayeh. A week has passed, and she still has not spoken in class.

The next day, Mrs. Brisbane has a surprise for the class: a postcard from Ms. Mac. She is now working at a school in Brazil, and she misses the students—but according to the postcard, she misses Humphrey most of all. Humphrey is ecstatic.

The day progresses, and Sayeh still does not speak. Wait-for-the-Bell-Garth Tugwell makes rude noises when Mrs. Brisbane’s back is turned, causing the class to giggle. Mrs. Brisbane threatens no recess, unless the culprit turns himself in. Garth does, and only he, Heidi, and Gail have to stay in at recess. Heidi notes that Humphrey has not been fed. Mrs. Brisbane dismisses the girls, tells Garth to feed Humphrey, and leaves momentarily to get some papers.

When they are alone, Humphrey is surprised that he is the target of Garth’s anger. Garth wants to get Humphrey in trouble. He says, “Everyone hates me. Everybody loves you. You’re just a rat in disguise” (48). This hurts Humphrey’s feelings.

After recess, Mrs. Brisbane asks for volunteers to take Humphrey home over the weekend. Everyone raises their hand, except Garth. To Humphrey’s surprise, Sayeh volunteers. It is strange for Humphrey to hear her voice. Whenevever Humphrey looks at her for the rest of class, he sees her “doing something [he’d] never seen her do before. Smiling” (49).

CHAPTER 7-Sayeh Speaks Up

The Nasiris live in a tall apartment building. Humphrey cannot understand the language that Mr. and Mrs. Nasiri speak; Humphrey thinks, “No wonder Sayeh got 100% on all her vocabulary tests. She and her family knew a lot more words than I did” (51). Sayeh later whispers to Humphrey that her family does not speak English; she does not speak in class because she is afraid the others will make fun of her accent. Humphrey tries to reassure her, but, of course, she cannot understand.

Sayeh wants Humphrey to help her teach her mother English. She tells her that Humphrey only speaks English. Mrs. Nasiri is timid at first, but Humphrey reacts enthusiastically, and she opens up. Within a few hours, the whole family is practicing English. They are enamored with Humphrey. Mrs. Nasiri says she is now ready to take English classes. Sayeh thanks Humphrey.

On Sunday, Sayeh wants to teach her parents “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Humphrey thinks that “Sayeh had the most beautiful voice in the world” (54).

On Monday, Humphrey is disappointed that Sayeh is still quiet in class. Humphrey dozes off. When he wakes up, he sees the classroom has been decorated for Halloween. A jack-o’-lantern terrifies him, and Garth makes fun of him for it. To everyone’s astonishment, Sayeh raises her hand. She asks to move the pumpkin away from Humphrey’s cage. At the end of the day, Garth puts it back. 

CHAPTER 8-Tricks and Treats

The Halloween decorations frighten Humphrey until Aldo turns on the lights. He explains that Halloween “is when the ghosts and goblins come out to play” (57) but assures a scared Humphrey that it is just for fun. Humphrey begins to think about costumes. On Halloween, Humphrey is exhilarated by the students’ costumes. Mrs. Brisbane’s is the scariest: “She didn’t wear a costume—just a button that had the words ‘This IS my costume’ printed on it” (59).

The students do tricks to receive treats from Mrs. Brisbane. Mrs. Brisbane calls on Sayeh, getting Humphrey’s full attention. He desperately wants her to sing. He squeaks to her, and Mrs. Brisbane uncharacteristically says that Humphrey wants to her. Sayeh sings “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and the class stands, listening in rapt attention. Mrs. Brisbane congratulates her warmly, and Humphrey wishes she would be that warm with him someday. 

When the last of the students perform their tricks, Humphrey crawls under a cloth he hid in his cage so that he will look like a ghost. He squeaks his loudest to get the attention of the others. Though Mrs. Brisbane has Miranda remove the cloth, Humphrey’s costume is a great success. Sayeh wins the award for the best trick, and Humphrey wins best costume. Humphrey gets a blue ribbon for his cage. 

Mr. Morales enters and comments on Humphrey. For a moment, Humphrey thinks he has won over Mrs. Brisbane at last, but she dashes his hopes. Later, alone in the classroom, he wonders about his job as a classroom pet, and if he has accomplished anything. Sayeh speaks more often, and her parents are practicing English. Mr. Morales’s children now respect him. However, Mrs. Brisbane still does not like him, and Garth seems to like him less and less.

Aldo enters the classroom. He is in a fantastic mood: He has met a woman named Maria at the Moonlighters Club, and they are going on a date. He gives Humphrey a slice of apple and puzzles over the ad clipping he found on the projector.   

CHAPTER 9-The Art of Self-Defense

Humphrey is having a great week. Ms. Mac writes again and includes a picture of her with a coatis (a South American racoon-like mammal). She concludes her letter with love for Humphrey. Though this makes him happy, he is still worried about where he will spend this weekend. He is elated when he finds out he is going home with Miranda—until he meets her big dog, Clem. 

Miranda does not live in a castle like Humphrey thought; she lives in an apartment with her mother. She and her mother clean out Humphrey’s cage. Clem bounds in and tries to lick Humphrey through the bars. Miranda's mother takes him for a walk, and Miranda shows Humphrey her room. 

When Miranda and her mother go shopping, Clem whines outside the door. Eventually, he figures out hope to open it and bounds into Miranda’s room. Humphrey tries to distract him by running on his hamster wheel. Clem nudges the lock on Humphrey’s cage, nearly opening it. Miranda returns just in time.

Miranda lets Humphrey explore her desk. Humphrey is having a great time, until Miranda’s mom reminds her that they are going to go to the Nicholsons’ house tomorrow. She reassures Miranda that they will lock her door and Humphrey will be safe. 

That night, Humphrey, worried about being left alone with Clem, thinks of a weapon he can use do defend himself. He risks leaving his cage to find it, then hides it behind his mirror. Sure enough, within a few hours of them leaving, Clem manages to escape Miranda’s mother’s room and eventually make his way into Miranda’s. Humphrey is prepared. When Clem presses his nose to the cage, Humphrey snaps it with a rubber band. When Miranda and her mother come home, they are puzzled to see the two doors open and Clem cowering under the couch.  

CHAPTER 10-Garth vs. A.J.

Miranda warns Room 26 to be careful with Humphrey if they have cats or dogs. Humphrey still likes Miranda, but he is reluctant to ever stay with her again. A.J. shouts that he wants to take Humphrey, and the whole class joins in. This seems to make Garth angry. He shoots a rubber band at A.J. Garth blames it on Humphrey.

Garth begins to act out. The next day, he trips Pay-Attention-Art. He pushes Rachel at recess and gets lunch detention. When the other students are gone and Mrs. Brisbane left the room momentarily, Garth goes to the back room and approaches Humphrey’s cage. He calls him a “rat” and tells him he should run away. He takes Humphrey out and puts him on the floor, telling him to run away. Humphrey is terrified. Garth leaves, and Humphrey barely makes it back to his cage before Mrs. Brisbane returns.

Later, Garth is surprised to see Humphrey is back in his cage. He shoots a volley of rubber bands at A.J. and gets recess detention.   

CHAPTER 11-TV Or Not TV

A.J. takes Humphrey home on the bus. Humphrey is a curiosity to the other students on the bus. When they get to A.J.’s house, Humphrey realizes that the reason Mrs. Brisbane constantly tells him to lower his voice is because A.J.’s whole family is loud. The television is constantly on and blaringly loud, as is the radio. They have to shout over the noise to be heard.

The Thomas family’s life revolves around watching television. They watch it at dinner. Mr. Thomas falls asleep watching it. Mrs. Thomas watches it late at night, giving their baby a bottle. They start watching it first thing in the morning. The noise is too much for Humphrey: He cannot sleep in the day. He comes up with a plan.

Humphrey slips out of his cage and, with great effort, unplugs the television. Everyone is confused; they think it is broken. Using their confusion as cover, Humphrey slips back into his cage. Mr. Thomas tells his complaining children how he and his brother used to entertain themselves as kids without television. Soon the whole family is engrossed in conversation. They stay up past bedtime playing card games. That night, the house is quiet for the first time since Humphrey arrived. 

CHAPTER 12-Peace Breaks Out

The next day, some surprise visitors arrive at the Thomas’ house: Garth and Mr. Tugwell. Mrs. Brisbane suggested Garth come to A.J.’s house so that he can spend time with Humphrey. A.J. is taken aback, and the two boys clean Humphrey’s cage in silence—until they get to his bathroom corner and start to laugh. After this, they seem to be friends again. A.J. teaches Garth Crazy Eights.

While Mr. Thomas sweeps the house to give his wife a break, he discovers that the television has been unplugged. When he discovers that it still works, Mrs. Thomas suggests that they keep it unplugged for a couple more days. They giggle, and Humphrey enjoys a nap in the silence.

Things are smoother in class now that A.J. and Garth are getting along. The biggest change is in Sayeh: She now speaks in class regularly. Miranda invites Sayeh to accompany her and her mother to a musical. Mrs. Brisbane begins reading a novel to the class about warrior mice, no bigger than Humphrey. Humphrey is enraptured with the story.

Humphrey goes home that weekend with Richie Rinaldi, Aldo’s nephew. His house is crowded with uncles, aunts, cousins, and other family members. While he is there, Aldo visits, bringing Maria with him to meet the family for the first time. Aldo introduces her to Humphrey; he says that the hamster is one of his very best friends. She is delighted, as is Humphrey.

Humphrey’s happiness is toppled on Monday when Mrs. Brisbane announces that Humphrey will need a home for four days over Thanksgiving break. None of the students raise their hand; all of them have big plans over the break and cannot take Humphrey with them. In the end, Mrs. Brisbane decides to take him. Humphrey is worried that he will not come back from the visit.  

CHAPTER 13-Thanks But No Thanks

On the silent car ride to Mrs. Brisbane’s house, Humphrey reflects on the last few months. Everyone he has stayed with had been gracious and kind (except for Clem), and in return, he had “lent them a helping paw here and there” (102). He believes he is “overdue for trouble” at “Brisbane’s House of Horrors” (102).

Mrs. Brisbane complains that she needs him like a hole in the head. Her husband, Bert, is not going to be happy. Bert is in a wheelchair and wears tan pajamas. He complains that for Mrs. Brisbane’s pay, they should not force her to spend her weekend “baby-sitting a rat” (103).

Things are quiet for a while. Mrs. Brisbane changes into jeans and reads the Guide to the Care and Feeding of Hamsters and concludes that her students have done a good job taking care of Humphrey. The Brisbanes hardly speak for the rest of the day.

The next day, while Mrs. Brisbane cooks Thanksgiving dinner, Mr. Brisbane just sits in the living room, scowling. Humphrey runs on his wheel, trying to distract himself from Bert’s sour attitude. Bert tells Mrs. Brisbane that he feels like Humphrey, spinning in place, going nowhere.

To Humphrey’s surprise, Mrs. Brisbane tells him that Humphrey goes places and does things. She tells her husband, “You’re the one spinning your wheels and going nowhere. You’re stuck in a cage, but it’s a cage you made!” (106). Bert is shocked too. Mrs. Brisbane tells him that he is alive, despite the accident, but he does not act like it.

Over dinner, Bert compliments his wife’s cooking. Humphrey learns that they have a son who recently moved to Tokyo. That night, he hears Mrs. Brisbane apologize for being hard on him, but she tells him that he needs to think of what he is going to do with his life. He does not answer.

CHAPTER 14-Hide-and-Go-Squeak

The next day, Mrs. Brisbane goes shopping, and Humphrey is home alone with “old sourpuss” (108). He is not happy to be spending the day with a sad and grouchy old man. Humphrey comes up with a plan. When Mr. Brisbane’s back is turned, Humphrey escapes from his cage. He squeaks in the middle of the room to get his attention. Humphrey lets him chase him all around the house, trying to catch him in a baseball cap. Bert hunts him around for a while. By the time Humphrey lets himself be captured, Mr. Brisbane looks livelier than ever.

By the time Mrs. Brisbane returns, Bert is in high spirits. He tells her about what happened. Humphrey made him realize that there are still things he can do. He asks Mrs. Brisbane to play gin rummy with him. She is speechless but delighted. When he wheels off to go get cards, she quietly thanks Humphrey.

The next day, Bert builds an obstacle course for Humphrey. He and Mrs. Brisbane time Humphrey as he makes his way around the course. Humphrey has a wonderful time. The Brisbanes invite their neighbors over on Sunday to watch. Mr. Robinson is happy to see Mr. Brisbane acting chipper.

On Monday morning, Mr. Brisbane is disappointed that Humphrey must go back to the class. Mrs. Brisbane says he can stay with them over winter break. Humphrey is delighted: This Mrs. Brisbane likes him.

CHAPTER 15-Happy Hamsterday

December and the holidays arrive. Mrs. Brisbane brings Humphrey back home once in a while to entertain her husband. One night, Aldo tells him that he is planning to buy an engagement ring. He is going to propose to Maria and asks Humphrey’s opinion. Humphrey stands up and squeaks in affirmation. Aldo is delighted and says he will do it.

The class prepares for the holiday party. Garth asks if he can take Humphrey home over the holidays since his mother is doing better. Mrs. Brisbane says that he can visit Humphrey at her house, and then he can take him the first weekend in January.

During the last day of class, Mrs. Brisbane says that she has a surprise for Humphrey. Mr. Brisbane wheels it in: a playground extension for his cage. Humphrey is delighted. He can keep his homey cage with the faulty lock and have more room to play. Mr. Brisbane instructs the children as they assemble the new addition.

Mr. Morales enters. Mrs. Brisbane tells him that her husband has started teaching arts and crafts at the Community center. He comments that Mr. Brisbane has made a new start; Mrs. Brisbane says, “Thanks to Humphrey” (118). Humphrey thinks that her words are the best present he could ask for.

During the holiday party, Miranda and Sayeh give out small toy hamsters to their classmates. Mr. Morales returns with the biggest surprise of all: Ms. Mac is back. Humphrey is speechless. She tells the class about her travels and finally comes to see Humphrey. Ms. Mac gives Humphrey a brand-new notebook and pencil. She tells him that he is still the handsomest creature she has seen. She promises to visit him again. Humphrey realizes something: Though he loves Ms. Mac, she does not need him the way that the students and the Brisbanes do. He belongs here.

The bell rings and the last day of school is over. In the parking lot, Aldo, who came to pick up Richie, announces that he and Maria are engaged. Humphrey squeaks in delight; Aldo leans in and thanks him. That night, Jason Brisbane arrives. He flew all the way from Tokyo to surprise his parents. The house is full of warmth and celebration.

Later that night, Humphrey reflects on his experiences since leaving Pet-O-Rama. The biggest lesson he has learned is that “one small hamster really can make a big difference” (122). He fills the last line in his notebook by writing, “JOY-JOY-JOY to the WHOLE WIDE WORLD! (And that includes YOU!)” (122).