WHAT KIND OF SHOES DOES A HIPPOPOTAMUS CHOOSE?

A bevy of fashionable beasts show off their footwear.

Sporting chic looks and walking upright, the animals are introduced with brief, singsong verses describing the shoes they most enjoy wearing. The gators sport waders—a logical choice, given their propensity for “splishing and splashing around”—while the crocs prefer stilettos, the elegant cats mince about in ballet flats, the practical elephants switch between espadrilles and sneakers, and the centipedes rock “sandals galore!” Some of the shoes might be unfamiliar to young readers, like the donkeys’ punny choice of mules (Maconie helpfully supplies a definition). The titular question is repeated often, and the purple hippo is periodically seen shopping and making undisclosed selections. At last, Hippo welcomes the other animals, in all their finery, into her home, where they gaze upon a huge, varied collection of shoes that Imelda Marcos would envy—this hippo can’t be limited to just one style. Braun’s bright, busy cartoons are rife with details for youngsters to pore over. The characters move about vibrant, bustling streets, passing varied shops with animal proprietors wearing their own favored shoes. Observant readers will notice a tiny, apparently shoeless mouse zipping about town on a minuscule bike, waving a cheese-shaped balloon.

Entertaining, silly, and stylish fun.