HERE COMES SHOPKEEPER HIPPO

Little Hippo spends the day selling goods from his red wagon to his fellow animals.

Playing at shopkeeper, Little Hippo tows around a variety of objects. Selling them for five cents apiece, he earns enough money to buy something special for Mama Hippo. Ostrich selects a snazzy pair of sunglasses, Long Neck Giraffe chooses a colorful scarf, and Graceful Gazelle purchases a Frisbee. The setup and resolution are quite simple: Little Hippo spends the day as a shopkeeper and uses his money to buy something nice for his mother. But the journey along the way is enjoyable. The illustrations make use of bright colors: an ever-present bright blue sky, rich yellows, and vibrant shades of red. Shopkeeper Hippo is darling in his blue apron and visor, though not all the animals are quite as adorable—Big Hairy Gorilla looks a bit unnerving, for example. Little Hippo is assisted by a small yellow monkey who is never mentioned in the text but is a helpful addition to the business. This tagalong pal also does some silly things and has a storyline with an ending that parallels Little Hippo’s—a fun visual detail sure to appeal to attentive readers. The use of onomatopoeia, like the repetitive “squeakidy-squeak” sound of the wagon rolling, makes this one a good read-aloud choice.

Simple but sweet.