The World According to Humphrey

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.  

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.  

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. 

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.