Hush, Hush!

Margaret Wild
Illustrations by Bridget Strevens-Marzo

Baby Hippo just cannot fall asleep. Like so many babies, he wiggles, and waggles his legs, and he makes so much noise. His mum wants him to quiet down and just go to sleep. However, Baby Hippo cannot hush. He decides to go for a walk. As he walks along he walks through the soggy, boggy mud and this is what he hears, “Hush, hush,” As the pelicans go to sleep. Baby Hippo trots over hard lumpy rocks where the alligators are and this is what he hears, “Hush, hush.” Continuing his journey, Baby Hippo listens to many of the jungle babies, and he hears “Hush, hush.” Finally, he yawns, he is getting tired, but he is not at home. Will he be able to stay awake until he gets home?

This is a sweet book for young readers; it would even be good for the nighttime ritual. The colorful illustrations are perfect for the text and bring the story to life. The other animals will pique your child’s curiosity. The colorful illustration of the animals will draw young children into the story. They will also remember the simple text and relate the pictures and text together. This is a great book for reading comprehension.

BIBLIO: 2010, Little Hare Books, Ages 3+, $14.99.
REVIEWER: Debby Willett
FORMAT: Picture Book
ISBN: 978-1-921272-86-8

REVIEWED FOR: Children’s Literature, Online Version, 11-5-10