This rhythmic board book follows a solitary hippopotamus who watches from the sidelines as other animals engage in social activities. A hog and a frog wear hats, a moose and a goose drink juice, and a bear and a hare go to a fair. Throughout these vignettes, the hippopotamus remains excluded, marked by the recurring refrain that she is not participating. Eventually, the group invites her to join them, shifting the narrative dynamic until only an armadillo is left standing alone.
Toddlers and preschoolers read this book to practice phonological awareness through its consistent use of internal and end rhymes. Parents use it to introduce basic concepts of social inclusion and the vocabulary of common animals and verbs. The reader walks away with a reinforced understanding of repetitive sentence structures and a visual lesson on the transition from observation to active participation in a group.
Practical, outward-looking, growth-minded, clear-cut and escapist; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Practical Optimizer. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1982
- Language
- EN
