Zippo The Super Hippo, by Kes Gray and Nikki Dyson - Reviewed by Damian Harvey

The life of a hippopotamus can by quite a simple one; splashing in the mud, sploshing in the river and plodding about, but Zippo the Hippo has one wish. Zippo wants to be 'super'. His friend Roxi tells him that she thinks he is already super, but Zippo has something else in mind. Zippo wants to have a super power. Although Zippo is good at the things he does every day, he agrees that they are not really that super. When Roxi suggests flying, Zippo knows she is right. "If I could fly, I could get a super cape and some super boots and I could fly around the world being Zippo the Super Hippo!" declares Zippo.

Roxi takes her big friend under her wing and off they go for his very first flying lesson. Zippo launches himself from the top of a "very high waterfall", a "very tall tree" and a "very steep cliff"... I'm not spoiling the story in telling you that Zippo the Hippo fails to take to the air like a bird, but his super power is clear for all to see.  

Zippo the Super Hippo is a lot of fun. Kes Gray's text is, as always, perfect for reading out loud and Nikki Dyson's illustrations are 'super', giving children lots to look at with each re-reading.

Any picture book that includes the word 'bottom' is guaranteed to be a roaring success with a class-full of children and this picture book deserves to be just that - a roaring success. For me, this is a  'wish I'd thought of this idea' book.


Damian Harvey
www.damianharvey.co.uk
Twitter @damianjharvey

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