Hooper Humperdink...? Not Him! (Bright & Early Books)

Dr. Seuss is a well-known children's book author. Therefore, it shouldn't come as a surprise that this book is as well written as it is. This book has several repetitive words which make it easy to follow along or even read along. Growing up this is the book my grandma used to always read with me, and it even got to the point that we could recite the entire book word for word. The names of the children invited to the party also go in alphabetical order, which can help children learn the alphabet quicker or understand different types of names associated with certain letters. This book can also help kids reflect on how it might make someone else feel when they are being left out. Hooper Humperdink feels left out of the party because he is show more the only one not being invited. The syntax of the book is a smooth steady flow due to all the rhymes. show less

This book is another one of mine which I remember fondly. Reading it again now it is quite an interesting book. The entire story is about a person who is having a party and who is inviting everyone of their friends except Hooper Humperdink. The main character gives no reason except that he is "weird" or a party pooper. The book focuses on names all throughout the alphabet going from A to Z. I distinctly remember going through these pages and poring over the illustrations just to see the different events that would be at this kids party. He orders ice cream, a carnival and many other outrageous things. The reader learns afterwards that the outrageous things that the main character is going to have at his party are in fact in his show more imagination. In the end, Hooper Humperdink is allowed to join the party. Reading it again now, the book kind of leaves a sour taste in my mouth. The main character spends the entire book telling/showing Hooper all of the fun things that will be occurring at his party that Hooper will not be invited to. While it does a great job of utilizing the Alphabet (A-Z), the story itself if taken too literally is kind of a sad one. All in all, nostalgia is what keeps this book (in my mind) from being quite sad. The illustrations themselves are a wonderful distraction despite the implications of the story. It is a good book if one doesn't read too much into the actual story. show less

I love this book!!! The whole time, the narrator is speaking of the huge, fun, party or carnival that he is having. He talks about the activities and festivities and how he is going to invite every single person he knows and more; however, the whole time he is also reminding us that he is not going to invite Hooper Humperdink—because for some reason, he just doesn’t like him very much. The illustrations really make the book—they show all of these people and all of this fun, and Hooper Humperdink standing on the outside looking in and appearing very sad and hurt because of this rejection. But…in the end, the host decides to invite Hooper after all! This book teaches children about acceptance and inclusion—it makes them feel sad show more for Hooper and teaches them that no one deserves to feel like that so include everyone and do not leave anyone out! show less

The message of this book is to consider other people’s feeling when making decisions because your decision may hurt their feelings.
I didn’t really enjoy this book for one reason, the plot. I enjoyed the point of view and the writing but the plot, I was certainly not a fan of.
For this story, the plot seems so trivial. The person that is throwing the party, in my mind it was a girl, is going to invite everyone she knows to her party but won’t invite Hooper Humperdink because well she admits that “I don’t know why, but somehow I don’t like that guy” which is a very unsatisfying explanation. This plot shows a boy being excluded for almost the entire book but then the host of the party just all the sudden decides to invite show more him. It seems random and not very well thought out.
I did however enjoy how this book was from the point of view of the host. It was interesting to see this story from her point of view and to watch her name off all the things that she would need for her party. She listed her guests from A-Z, which was a very creative way, and even explained how everyone would get to her party. I would have expected this book to be in third person, the narrator explaining the situation but it was a surprise to see it from the host’s point of view.
Finally, I liked the writing of this story for a few reasons: the way everything was listed from A-Z (her guests names, everything she would need for the party, ect.) and how it was incorporated into the rhyming of the story. It was impressive to see how the author was able to rhyme words with names of a certain letter. show less

A boy is having a big party and wants to invite everyone, but not Hooper Humperdink. He claims that Hooper Humperdink is a party pooper and decides to leave him out. This book lists so many names invited to the party in alphabetic order. By the end of the story, the boy decides that the party is so fun, that no one should miss out so he invites Hooper Humperdink. This is a fun story about how people shouldn't be left out. Everyone should be included and it isn't fair to leave people out for no reason. I think children would thoroughly enjoy this story and I personally enjoyed it.

This book is a really fun read. It can be used as a read aloud in pre-k or an early reader in k-3. It is about a young boy who is throwing a party but is NOT inviting Hooper Humperdink. He lists all the friends he is inviting in alphabetical order as he describes the things he will have at thes extravigant party that ends up sounding more like a circus. In the end he decides that it will be so grand and exciting that he should include Hooper after all.
This would be a fun book to include in an author study about Dr. Seuss since it is written by him but under an earlier pseudonym. It also can be used to talk about how it we should be kind and include poeple in the things we enjoy.

I can't count how many times I've had to read this book the past few weeks.
Poor Hooper... There's no way he can be worse then Olivetta Oppenbeem