Does the book title Hamster Huey and the Gooey Kablooie sound familiar? Likely is does, because that title is used in Bill Watterson’s inimitable comic strip Calvin and Hobbes. Calvin would beg his dad to read Hamster Huey. In an interview, Watterson once said that he deliberately let the plot of Hamster Huey remain a mystery, leaving it up to his readers’ imaginations.

I’m a lifelong fan of Calvin and Hobbes, and one day, I decided to imagine the story. Actually, it started with a dream I had about Hamster Huey the night before, so I wrote down the basic plot the next morning. The parts I couldn’t remember—or that didn’t make sense, as so often happens in dreams—I made up while awake.

I realize that to entertain Calvin, a story would have to be pretty darn good, and it would perhaps have to be a bit chaotic or maybe even revolting to please Calvin, but that’s not necessarily true. Calvin’s dad initially introduced Calvin to the book, so it couldn’t have been that outlandish. As a child, I begged my parents to read Pantaloon over and over again. While it’s a fun story, it is nothing truly special. Maybe I enjoyed it because I loved dogs and had a sweet tooth myself.

I tried to think of some things that Calvin would have liked. Thus, my version features an imaginative, clever character—loved, respected and revered by all—who spends most of his days playing with toys. It also features ugly bullies who bear a slight resemblance to Moe, but they are outsmarted by a bubblegum-loving hero with an animal for a friend.

The pen name for my story’s author is Mabel Barr, not the same as Mabel Syrup, the author in Watterson’s strip. I wanted to show that there was a connection without seeming to make a claim that my book was THE book named in Calvin and Hobbes.

A few fans of Calvin and Hobbes were offended that anyone would attempt to portray his own idea of how the story could have been. I thought it would be fun to try, but I apologize if I’ve somehow spoiled the concept for you. I didn’t realize how seriously some take their comics! My hope is that you enjoy this book as a lighthearted attempt to provoke discussion about the fascinating character that is Calvin.

The books originally sold for $6.95, and though I didn’t keep close accounts, I have come close to recovering the costs of printing it. I stopped selling the book about 10 years ago. Since there are now only a few copies in circulation, some resellers are asking for as much as $900 for a copy. Recently I decided to sell most of my remaining copies for $20 each on Amazon. You can also buy them from me directly for the same price, and I will throw in the shipping for free. You can pay with Zelle, Venmo or Paypal (paying as to a friend and not a business). My email address is pspadoni@gmail.com.