Skip to main content

Hippopotamister



Hippopotamister 
By John Patrick Green
:01 First Second, 2016. 84 p.

The zoo is in trouble! People aren’t coming to visit and the animals aren’t being taken care of as they should be. Red Panda (Hippo’s neighbor at the zoo) decides it is time to go out into the world to do something other than living at the zoo. Red Panda often comes back to tell Hippo just how wonderful the outside world is. Soon Hippo decides to become a Hippopotamister (a hippo pretending to be a human and get a human job out in the real world). Job after job Hippo carefully tries his best—while Red Panda does such a “great” job that both eventually are fired. Red Panda’s optimism keeps them going from job to job while Hippo seems to just be along for the ride. Eventually Hippo realizes just what this Hippopotamister should do (and with the details of the run-down zoo at the beginning of the story and the choices of jobs that the animals “try” readers will not be surprised or disappointed with Hippo’s decision). With great full-color illustrations and simple panel designs, this is a great book for young readers who want to start reading graphic novels but are intimidated by large amounts of panel work. Another great new graphic novel.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Review: The Mixed-Up Owl

The Mixed-Up Owl  Written by Marzena Sowa Illustrated by Joanna Lorno New York : Hippo Park, 2025. Picture Book. When Owl can't sleep at night, he heads off to see if any forest animals can help him understand why, and even more so, how to fix it!  Unfortunately, all the animals Owl runs into at night are asleep and all the animals he meets during the day are too rude or too busy to answer him.  Will Owl give up or will a chance meeting with a grumpy hedgehog provide all the solutions Owl was looking for? The premise of an owl trying to stay awake during the day because all the other animals around him do is very fun. Kids who know that owls are nocturnal will get a kick out of Owl's confusion and be quick to try to tell him what's going on.  Readers who don't know many facts about owls (or nocturnal animals in general) will get a brief introduction to the different ways animals sleep. The illustrations are charming, especially cute Owl and his expressive body langua...

Five Fives: Friendship

Friendship is such an important part of life! I love to have my friends to celebrate life's victories with. When I am having a rough time, I also rely on the strength of my friends. Picture books are a great way to talk to kids about friendships. With a new school year just around the corner, I think talking with kids about friendship and how to be a good friend is so important. These five books have friendships in them that might help facilitate discussions with your people! Love Grows Here By Amy Adele New York : Magic Cat Publishing, 2025. Picture Book. In this sweet story, there is a lovely garden that an elderly couple tends to with joy in their heart. When the woman is sent to the hospital for an extended stay, the animals that love the garden worry it won't be the same. But through grit and determination and teamwork, they work together and do what friends do best: take care of each other! The illustrations are absolutely amazing and will have kids enthralled with all of...

Display: Be A World Traveller

Real Castles Around the World Written by Kaitlyn Duling Vero Beach, Florida : Rourke Educational Media, 2025. Informational. 48 pages Take a trip around the world as you read about the most impressive castles ever built! Explore fierce fortresses, castles that have inspired stories, uniquely colorful castles, and the history behind them all as you Travel to Real Castles Around the World! Part of the Travel to Children s Book Series, this 48-page nonfiction book explores castles both past and present, the kings that inhabited them, and knights that fought to protect them! Lower the drawbridge, cross the moat, and travel to real castles from all around the world as you learn about our magical history with fun-filled facts and vibrant photos. History Book Features: Before- and after-reading activities. Extension activity. Glossary About Rourke Educational Media: We proudly publish respectful and relevant nonfiction and fiction titles that represent our diverse readers, and are designed to...