The Truth About Hippos

A girl learns about pygmy and common hippos from the animals themselves in this irreverent and very funny series opener. Eaton’s concise narration serves as a kind of straight man to the animals’ plucky one-liners and commentary. “A common hippo can weigh as much as four cows,” he notes, as an accompanying cartoon shows a lollipop-licking hippo sitting opposite four cows on a seesaw. “This doesn’t feel safe,” says one of the cows. “It’s not,” quips the girl, who’s also on the seesaw. A subplot has a hippo calf trying to find its mother, and Eaton mischievously undercuts their happy reunion with details about threats facing hippos (“We were having a moment,” complains the mother hippo). Kids who need convincing that learning can be fun need look no further for proof. Also available: The Truth About Bears. Ages 4–8. Agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio. (Feb.)