Customer Reviews

I, Houdini: The Amazing Story of an Escape-Artist Hamster

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

My name is Ashley and I am sixth grader from New York. I am doing a book review on I, Houdini by Lynne Reid Banks. The main character Houdini, is a hamster. Houdini wants to experience life outside his cage. Freedom has Houdini experiencing many dangers and adventures like getting cornered by a cat and ending up in a dog's mouth.

I feel this book was easy to read and enjoyable. The reason why is because it is a fast moving book and there is a lot of action in it. Houdini's troubles causes the reader to keep flipping the pages to find out what happens to Houdini. When I read that Houdini ran straight into a dog's mouth I wanted to see what happened to him.

I recommend this book to kids who like reading stories about animals. Anyone who had a hamster would enjoy reading the adventures of Houdini. They could relate to how Houdini escapes from being caged. I feel both girls and boys between the ages of 9-13 would like reading this story. You may think Houdini is a strange name for a hamster but after reading this book you will understand how he got his name.

Since all mammals seem to have come down from a few rodent like
animals, an intelligent hamster is possible:
just not real probable?
Again the story is well written, but just isn't one I like all that well.
Possibly because I don't like hamsters?
The idea of a dog not killing a prey animal
is pretty unique.
How many generations of litters of six or more before you are over run
by hamsters?
I don't like the book.

Even though reading I, Houdini was summer homework, I thought it was a pretty good book. The story is told by a hamster whose name was Goldie until he finds his secret urge. This urge leads him into many adventures.

When Goldie is bought by a family with three boys, his owners put him in a wooden box. After a while living in the box, he gets bored. That's when he finds his urge--to get out and be free. His owners are very careless and leave a stack of books next to Goldie's box. Goldie jumps onto the books and gets free--the first but definitely not the last time.

Finally, his owners catch him. Instead of putting him back in the box, they put him in a waste basket. Because of the slippery walls, they think he cannot get out. But again, he gets the urge and escapes the same way.

Another time, he escapes and makes a nest under the floorboards, where he stores a food supply. But the problem with the nest is that it has no water supply. After a while, Goldie finds out that one of the lead pipes under the floorboards is a water pipe, so he starts gnawing on it. Finally he makes a hole in the pipe, and the house starts flooding.

While the family "defloods" the house, Goldie gets back into his cage. When the boys find Goldie back in his cage, they immediately think of their parents who will be very peeved to find out it was Goldie who made the hole and started the flood. So they take him over to their friend Ben's house and ask him if he can take care of Goldie and not let him out. But, of course, Ben does let him out, and he escapes again.

Goldie escapes so many times that his owners finally decide to rename him Houdini after Harry Houdini, the great escapologist.

The book wasn't very believable, but it was exciting reading.

Reviewed by Eli Schulman, age 10

Houdini is a hamster named after the great Houdini, the most amazing escape artist of all time.So far there is no cage that can hold the great hamster. He lives with three boys as their pet. I think the beginning was very hard to understand because it did not tell the place he was at and the end was too. I hope there will be a sequel. This was the best nove I read in my life. It was very exciting. I could not put it down.

My name is ashley and I'm a 6th grader from New York. I am doing a book reveiw on I,Houdini by Lynne Reid Banks. The main character Houdini, is a hamster. Houdini wants to experience life outside his cage. Freedom has Houdini experiencing many dangers and adventures like getting cornered by a cat and ending up in a dog's mouth.

I feel this book was easy to read and enjoyable. The reason why is because it is an easy flowing book and there is a lot of action. Houdini's trouble causes the reader to keep flipping the pages to find out what happens to Houdini. When I read that Houdini ran right into a dog's mouth I wanted to see what happened to him.

I recommend this book to kids who like reading stories about animals. Also for anyone who had a hamster for a pet would enjoy this story. They could relate to Houdini's adventures and the way he escapes from being caged. I feel this book is for both girls and boys between the ages of 9-13. You might think Houdini is a strange name for a hamster but once you read this book you will understand how he got his name.

Houdini is a clever little hamster who can escape out of any cage! He is able to understand human speech. He is called names & locked in a freezer, caught by a dog & yet still manages to stay alive! Read this if you like hamsters or animals!

This book is a good book. This Book is about a hamster that can escape from any cage.Then the owner got a escape proof cage and it still escaped.The hamster jumped and made the cage tilt over then she ran out. For a while it escaped and one day she stopped then the owner thought it was a trick. Next morning he found 5 more hamsters in the same cage as her. This book was a great book I think I recomend this book to any one around this world.

The person who brought you The Indian in the Cupbord and The Return of the Indian wrote another book ... I,Houdini. That person is Lynne Reid Banks. I,Houdini is an outstanding book about a clever hamster named Houdini who escapes from anything, anywhere. Once Houdini escaped from a burning fire! He also made a nest in a piano! But there's only one thing he can not escape - from Oggi, when he falls in love with Oggi. If anything will try to stop him he'll be to brave and will fight back no matter what dog, cat, bird- anything.

Hollist from Annapolis

I, Houdini
I, Houdini is a book about a hampster that tries to get freedom. he's called Houdini because he can get out of any cage even a metal cage.
The author is Lynne Reid Banks I think the author tries to tell you that everyone should have freedom.
I like the way it tells and write about the book. I also like that the hampster inspired the other hampster's. I think that the book was good and it was easy to undersdand. I also think that the book would be better if it was a little more exciting in some parts.

I Houdini

I Houdini is a book about a genious hamster who longs for freedom. He's called that because he can escape the very best made cages.

I think the author, Lynne Reid Banks wants you to know that you can do any thing you if you're determined and keep trying.

I liked the way the hamster thought and the way he despised other hamsters. I also liked the way the author discribed the book. It was full of suspense all the way through, and was easy to understand.