Hello, Hippo! Goodbye, Bird!

Kristyn Crow's first book, Cool Daddy Rat, received starred reviews and was named a Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book. She is also the author of Zombelina and Bedtime at the Swamp. Kristyn is the mother of seven wonderfully creative children and is married to a policeman, who doubles as a mad scientist/inventor. Visit Kristyn at KristynCrow.com.
 
Poly Bernatene graduated from Buenos Aires Art School and has worked across many different genres, including advertising, animation, and comic books. He has illustrated more than 60 children's books all over the world, including Ribbit!, written by Rodrigo Folgueira. He lives and works in Argentina. Visit him on the Web at Poly-Bernatene.blogspot.com.
From the Hardcover edition.

PreS-Gr 1—Hippo is annoyed by a bird that will not leave him alone, but an encounter with some bees and a frightening thunderstorm show Hippo that Bird may be just the friend he needs. Alternating perspectives give the pencil and digitally colored illustrations action and movement. The view is high on the page with Bird and then moves closer to the ground with Hippo. Small vignettes, sometimes several on a page, show time passing. A full-bleed spread depicts the dramatic turning point for Hippo. The endpapers, with Hippo's footprints surrounded on all sides by bird marks, foreshadow both Hippo's anxiety at Bird's pushiness and the ultimate conclusion that they are better off together. VERDICT This humorous tale of two unlikely companions is an entertaining discussion starter for children about how (and how not) to make friends.—Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA