Hippopotamus Hunt [Library Binding]

Bernard Most (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up

Young hunters go on safari, finding a huge hippopotamus who leads them on a search for words that can be found within its name, and wind up in a library with lots of other literate animals.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Less inspired than his earlier word-play books (Can You Find It?; The Cow That Went OINK), Most's latest introduces five round-faced children who announce, "We are word hunters. We hunt for hidden words." They encounter a hippopotamus, who tells them that he knows where they can find many words. Busy cartoon art and simple text depict their search through the jungle; on each page a selected word or two (made up of letters found in the word "hippopotamus") is presented in bold type in the text, then enlarged and repeated in the forefront of the pictured scene. The remaining letters of "hippopotamus" are found in the background of the illustration. Although the volume encourages kids to look for words within words, its premise makes for some rather banal sentences ("We found a hoop around a stump") that sound forced. Ages 3-8.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2-Most expands on the wordplay in his previous titles in this exploration of some of the combinations that can be formed from the letters in the word "hippopotamus." Five children in pith helmets hunt for words in a jungle; they encounter a hippopotamus who says "Don't shoot," and "Let's head south," and so on. On each page, the letters that are not used to form a new word are shown in the background of the picture. The youngsters and their hippo friend continue on, finding hats, pots, and a hidden path that leads them to a hut- which turns out to be a library-where readers are told they can find the most words. The author's signature colored-marker cartoons in pastel-bright hues are full of detail and cheery faces and each is outlined by a black rule surrounded by white. Reminiscent of Kate Banks's Alphabet Soup (Knopf, 1988), this title can also be combined with Most's Can You Find It? (Harcourt, 1993) for a lesson in the almost limitless possibilities of our alphabet. A deft handling of the concept of words-within-words.
Emily Kutler, Summit Free Public Library, NJ
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Library Binding
• Publisher: Harcourt Childrens Books (J); 1st edition (December 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152345205
• ISBN-13: 978-0152345204
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,342,202 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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