“It was, if I may put it this way, a rather exciting situation. However, I resisted the urge to do something rash – like nibble Mom’s nose, for instance. Instead, I concentrated on my real reason for being there: I wanted to get at her reading matter.” p. 75
Reader's Annotation
Golden hamster Freddy has decided that there’s more to life than jogging non-stop on the exercise wheel in a wire cage...he’s taken charge of his own destiny, and has learned how to read! But will he be able to stay at Mr. John's house with his new feline and guinea pig friends and avoid being returned to the pet store, and more importantly, will he ever figure out a way to write down his story?
About the Author
Dietlof Reiche is an award-winning German author whose books have been translated into several languages. (His Web site is in German, click Google for a partially accurate translation.) In addition to writing novels, Reiche has worked in mechanical engineering, script-writing, and graphic design, and has a degree in sociology. Reiche lives with his wife, Rose Marie, and his pug, Max, in Hamburg.
Genre
Adventure, Anthropomorphic Fiction
Reading Level/Interest Age
9-11 years old
Plot Summary
The first person narrator of this novel is golden hamster Freddy Auratus, born in a pet store cage. From the start he has an inquisitive nature and independence which lead him to want something more out of life than jogging away his days away on the exercise wheel and fighting territorial wars with his fellow pet store hamsters. So through careful planning and preparation, he takes steps to ensure his adoption by a local family. This is the family of Sophie, a “girl in a million” in Freddy’s words, who treats him with respect. While at Sophie’s house, Freddy is allowed to hang out on her desk while she does her homework. During this time, his innate curiosity leads him to learn the alphabet, and eventually to read whole books. But this creates two distinct problems: 1) where to find more books to read, and 2) how to fulfill his desire to write himself. Sophie’s mom’s allergies eventually lead Freddy to new living arrangements at the house of Mr. John. There he meets Sir William, a “sweaty tomcat” but a gentleman, and the guinea pigs Enrico and Caruso, smelly but all right once Freddy gets used to their teasing style of interaction. Being at Mr. John’s solves the problem of accessing reading matter, but Freddy finds his desires to write foiled by the fact that he is too small to manipulate any instrument of writing, and Sir William’s feeling that it would be undignified for an animal to attempt communication with humans via a human-invented writing system. Will Freddy’s ingenuity enable him to communicate with Mr. John before he is forced to leave his house, and possibly return to the pet store?
Series Note
Dietlof Reiche’s subsequent books in this series are: (1) Freddy in Peril, (2) Freddy to the Rescue, (4) The Haunting of Freddy, and (5) Freddy’s Final Quest.
Critical Evaluation
This is one of the most thoroughly enjoyable books I’ve ever come across, the kind you just want to curl up with by the fire and a cup of hot cocoa, and hope it never ends…but it’s much more than just charming. The first-person narration of hamster protagonist, Freddy, is engaging and honest; his excitement is infectious, but he calls it like he sees it. We are privy to his innermost thoughts, complete with moments of nervousness, embarrassment, and selfishness, and thus are all the more affected by his personal growth in character by novel’s end. The story line is very issue-oriented, while at the same time suspenseful and exciting. And Reiche has taken care to include important details about golden hamster traits and physiology. The other central characters are clearly drawn: Sir William’s careful consideration of the feelings of others mixed in with some slightly reactionary attitudes and pomposity, and Enrico and Caruso’s happy-go-lucky, yet alert and perceptive natures. However, Enrico and Caruso are treated more or less as one unit, at least in this first novel in the series. The vocabulary is age-appropriate for 9-11 year-olds, but Reiche has thrown in a nice amount of challenging words. And older children will enjoy the nuances of the novel, as some of its hilarity and interest stems from Freddy sometimes misreading the meanings behind the statements and actions of others, and eventually becoming a better interpreter of such things.
Booktalking Ideas
• Give a character booktalk as Sir William giving his opinion on Freddy, new arrival to Mr. John’s house.
• Give an episode booktalk of Freddy’s first successful escape from his cage, especially the timing and mechanics of it.
• Give a plot booktalk in rhyme, in the style of Enrico and Caruso.
Curriculum Ideas
• Biology: Students research rodent traits to see how closely Reiche has kept to the facts. This could lead into students bringing their own pet hamsters to school and class observation of their behavior for a few weeks.
• Language Arts: Just like Freddy, students write their own “memoirs” of life thus far.
• Visual Arts: Each student creates the illustrations for the memoir of another student.
Potential Challenge Issue & Defense
I do not see any potential challenge issues. If any were to arise, one could defend the novel by:
• Becoming familiar enough with the book’s content to promote its literary merits.
• Referring to library’s collection development policy.
• Referring to book reviews from authoritative sources such as ALA, School Library Journal, etc.
• Obtaining book reviews from tweens who have read it.
Why I Chose This Book
As I would one day like to write humorous anthropomorphic children’s fiction myself, I first read this novel a couple years ago. I reread it for this blog, discovering all over again why I love it.
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