When Daddy Comes Home

The narrator of this story is a young hippopotamus whose father comes home every nightafter the little guy is already sound asleep. He longs for a father like his friend Tucky has; Tucky's Dad comes home at 6:00 p.m. and has plenty of time for talk and stories of Paul Revere. The little hippo asks Mother if he can stay up until Dad comes home so that they can do things together, too. Dad is responsive, and soon the two plan a special projectbuilding a crystal radio from a kit. Tucky is envious, but both agree that all Dads are good at different thingsand it's fun to share those different things with each other. The narrative is simply told, with barely more than one line per page; the tone is warm; and the solution to the hippo's problem is creative. Pastel watercolors provide a sweetly humorous interpretation of the story. (2-6)