May 15, 2018
Move over, rodent. There's a new class pet in town.In this companion novel to Birney's Friendship According to Humphrey (2005) and its many sequels, readers see the beloved hamster from an amphibian's perspective. Until he was captured from his pond, Og the frog was a pretty average fellow. Now he's a class pet in Mrs. Brisbane's room, second only to Humphrey himself, with all his basic needs taken care of. But "it's a lot smaller than the swamp," and this new life takes some adjustment. Following Humphrey's lead, he finds ways to give the kids in the room some gentle help and guidance. Yet just when Og's settling in, there's talk of returning him to the wild once more. Would it be kindness or cruelty to send Og back into nature? And does he even know which one he'd prefer? Though writing with her customarily light touch, Birney gives serious thought to the plight of pets caught in the wild, giving voice to every side and debating the most humane response. Og's miscommunications with Humphrey provide ample comic relief, as do the frog's songs, which he launches into with gusto.While it may not be that easy being green, this book mixes the sweet and the serious in a ribbitting read. (Fiction 7-11)
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Starred review from May 28, 2018
This sparkling offshoot of Birney’s Humphrey the hamster series reveals the Room 26 goings-on from the perspective of amphibian Og, a second classroom pet. The narrative leaps back in time to offer Og’s take on his arrival (a story Humphrey relays in Friendship According to Humphrey), and fans will find the affable frog a chirpy and perceptive raconteur. Og’s daydreams transport him back to his former life in the swamp, and his interior monologue is laced with nature-themed wordplay (a cricket “tastes frogalicious, and I am very hoppy”) and analogies (sensing the teacher likes him makes Og “feel as cozy as a lizard snoozing in a sunbeam”). With candor and humor, the frog spills his (unwarranted) insecurity about being a good class pet to the students, his envy of popular Humphrey’s mastery of the job, and his angst as the kids debate whether Og should live at a wildlife sanctuary. Laced with environmental facts, this is a heartening tale of cross-species friendship, change, and belonging. Ages 8–12. Agent: Nancy Gallt, Gallt and Zacker Literary Agency.
Starred review from July 1, 2018
Gr 2-4-This summer, fans of Betty Birney's "The World According to Humphrey" series will have a new world to hop into. This first volume in a spinoff series about Humphrey's pal, Og the frog, offers heart and humor. Og has just made the move to room 26 and away from a bully bullfrog in room 27. He misses the swamp (the water in his new tank is a tad too clean) but he is generally happy in the classroom. He enjoys learning songs and spending time with his new friend Humphrey. The book also explores the question of whether or not wild animals should be caged and if Og should be released back into his pond. Birney pours the same charm into this new series as she did into the previous books. The well-developed characters will appeal to children and the straightforward text will encourage newly independent readers. VERDICT An excellent addition to chapter book collections.-Patrick Tierney, Dr. Martin Luther King Elementary School, Providence
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