Free Imagination According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney

look on her mother’s face.
    â€œOh, Sophie! You know how much we love you!” she said.
    â€œYou’re our first baby,” her dad said. “And we couldn’t love you more!”
    They both hugged Sophie while Timothy screamed in the background.
    â€œTimothy’s having some problems,” Mrs. Kaminski said. “But he’ll be better soon.”
    â€œI’ll go get him,” Mr. Kaminski said.
    Sophie’s mom smiled. “I have a better idea. Sophie, why don’t you get Timothy and bring him here ? After all, you’re his big sister. You know how to pick him up carefully.”
    Sophie wiped away her tears. “All right.”
    Mr. Kaminski gently put me back in my cage and closed the door. He checked the lock and said, “It’s latched tightly.”
    Humans always think that, thank goodness.
    Sophie returned a minute later, carrying the crying blanket. At least the crying was softer now.
    â€œLook, Timothy,” she said. “This is Humphrey the hamster.” She walked over to the cage and held the blanket up.
    I thought quickly and hopped on my wheel. “Hi, Timothy,” I squeaked. “Watch me spin on my wheel!”
    And then, the most amazing thing happened. Timothy stopped crying and stared at me, so I kept spinning.
    â€œIsn’t he cute, Timothy ? ” Sophie asked.
    Timothy actually smiled!
    â€œLook, Humphrey! He likes you!” Sophie said.
    Mr. and Mrs. Kaminski began to laugh.
    â€œGoo,” Timothy said.
    I’m not sure what that meant, but I’m pretty sure it meant he liked me.
    â€œGOO-GOO-GOO!” I squeaked. Timothy giggled.
    â€œThat’s his first laugh in days,” his mom said. “He must be feeling better!”
    I was feeling better, too. Being caught out of my cage was risky, but I was HAPPY-HAPPY-HAPPY to help the Kaminskis get together—even Timothy.
    I finally got tired of spinning and climbed up my ladder.
    Sophie handed Timothy to her dad and they all sat on the bed, next to my cage.
    â€œI’m so sorry I haven’t had time for you,” her mom said. “Timothy is so lucky to have you as a sister.”
    â€œWe’re all lucky to have Sophie,” her dad said.
    â€œYES-YES-YES!” I squeaked and they all laughed.
    â€œGOO-GOO-GOO!” Timothy gurgled and everyone laughed again.
    â€œHow did your homework go ? ” Mr. Kaminski asked.
    Sophie read them her paragraph about the Island of the Parrots and they loved it.
    â€œYou know, we
are
a family,” Sophie’s mother said. “Let’s start acting like one.”
    Then they talked about setting up a schedule where they’d have time to listen to Sophie and time for Timothy and time for Mr. Kaminski’s reports.
    They kept talking, but I didn’t hear it all.
    I’d done everything I could do as a classroom pet.
    But to squeak the truth—I needed some rest!
    MY WRITER’S RAMBLINGS
It isn’t always easy
to be a classroom pet.
But what I did at Sophie’s house
may be my best trick yet!

Pearl

    I was happy to get back to Room 26 on Monday and even happier to know that I’d helped Sophie out. I always like to lend a helping paw.
    Mrs. Brisbane asked how the weekend had gone.
    â€œOh, it was wonderful,” Sophie said. “You should have seen Humphrey in my dollhouse! He got in the tub and on the bed, just like it was his own little house.”
    It would have been nice to have a real house, but I was happy to be in my cage and back in Room 26.
    I had my schedule for Monday all worked out: Math, nap, language arts, nap, lunch, nap, recess, nap, science, reading and NAP! I even dozed while my friends came into Room 26 that morning.
    But my schedule didn’t work out, because Mrs. Brisbane started the day with the announcement that we had a special guest.
    I raced to the front of my cage, but all I saw were my usual Room 26 classmates.
    â€œNicole, would