Hamstersaurus Rex Gets Crushed

Hamstersaurus Rex #3

by Tom O'Donnell, Tim Miller (Illustrator)

This hilarious classroom comedy series is perfect for fans of Dog Man and Stick Dog! Mysterious hauntings are causing major trouble at Horace Hotwater Middle School. Sam Gibbs and his super-strong tiny buddy, Hammie Rex, keep encountering creepy abnormal objects, including a floating sports jersey and a runaway go-kart. While Sam doesn't believe in ghosts, he has to admit the hauntings are getting weirder…and more dangerous. Could bizarre mutant animals be the cause? At Horace Hotwater, they often are! Beware of furry ducks, slippery baked potato toppings, masked ninjas, and more in this laugh-out-loud mystery starring the world's coolest class pet.

Genres: Humor

304 pages, Hardcover

Published January 2, 2018

About the author

Tom O'Donnell has written for The New Yorker, McSweeney’s, and several TV shows. Tom lives with his wife and kids in Brooklyn, NY.

Reviews

[Carson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most complex book yet in this series.

We're in it now, and ready for #4!

[Niffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the first two books of this series and enjoyed them, but I really loved this one. In the last two books Sam was a bit of a loner who only worked with other kids under duress or when he absolutely had to. Even his best friend, Dylan, was often in the background.

In this book, Sam teams up with Dylan, Martha and Beefer to save the day. While Sam still does some mental eye-rolling at Martha's perfectionism and Beefer's attempts at being a ninja, he's also learned to respect their strengths. And honestly, Beefer is quickly becoming my favorite character.

The book is still full of lots of slapstick humor which gets a little extreme, but I also will admit I'm a 50+ year old woman and not really the demographic this series is aimed at. And honestly, I've enjoyed the series enough to read through book three, so that says something about it's appeal. Looking forward to book four!

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 5 year old has loved each of the books in this series so far. This book has been my favorite of the 3 we have read. We like how silly it is, and I like seeing how the very different personalities of the kids come together. This has helped in teaching my child about friendship and getting along with others that may be different or have different interests. I appreciate the vocabulary O’Donnell uses. It’s easier for me to be invested when I don’t feel like the author is holding back for a young audience, and it allows opportunities for questions and the expansion of my son’s own vocabulary. We’ve already started book 4, and can’t wait to see what happens next for Sam and Hammie Rex.

[Shelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve enjoyed all titles in this series so far. This one places a new threat to their town. Is it a ghost or a different rodent more diabolical than squirrel Kong? Sam and his best pal will need to uncover the mysteries that plague their fair city including a peers missing pencil eraser. This book will have you guessing and leave you wanting more. My only complaint would be a new characters name who I could never pronounce and slowed down my progression until I just started reading them a nickname every time their name popped up.

[Margie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third book in the Hamstersaurus Rex series which combines strange/mutant animals with some sort of mystery which 6th grader Sam Gibbs and his side-kick Hamstersaurus Rex work to solve. This story adds some hamster romance along with the various odd happenings at the Horace Hotwater Middle School. Highly improbably but also highly amusing the humor embedded in the story will delight middle grade readers.

[Teresa Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

A boy named Sam Gibbs and his hamster, Hamstersaurus Rex, try to find out if there is a ghost. Hamstersaurus gets put in a purse cage and Sam gets a weird hairstyle. I really liked the comic pictures but I didn't like that it was a little long. (by Xavier, 6th grade)

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great series!! This series is an enjoyable to read as an adult. But they have also been really good books for my 2nd-4th graders. I'm a teacher and I've bought copies of this for the school library and my classroom libraries and they've been very popular.

Highly recommend!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Savannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

It took us quite a bit longer to get through this book than it did the others. We got busy and lost interest, but eventually got back to it.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

SmilesCorp is at is again! There's something going on around town, and Sam & his friends have to figure out what it is!

[EMPORER Xodus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow you wanted to see spoilers ok then a telekinetic mole is the mane bad guy