Book Review: Listen, Hippo!, by Gabriel Evans

Feature image credit: Penguin Books Australia

Listen, Hippo! is just the book we want in this fast-paced crazy world. How often do we need to just stop, sit down and have someone really listen to us? That is exactly how Billy feels when he is having a bad day. Unfortunately, his friend Hippo just wants to cheer him up. Hippo devises all sorts of things to take Billy’s mind off his troubles: dress-ups, climbing trees, a party, but all Billy really wants is someone to stop, listen, and give him a hug.

Gabriel Evans, author and/or illustrator of over 20 children’s books, lives in Western Australia: Ollie and Augustus, Count the Stars, and A Friend for George to name a few. His beautiful watercolour illustrations use minimal colour, yellow being the main hue featured. Occasional touches of other colours are a great way to highlight Hippo’s ideas to help Billy.

Throughout the story the reader feels empathy for Billy’s melancholy and we soon realise what it is that Billy actually needs, but we are taken along for the ride, waiting for Hippo to also realise what is needed. Children may also be able think of their own ideas of what might cheer up Billy.

The fact that Hippo is so much bigger than Billy and seems overbearing is hopefully not lost on the reader, especially when we see them both on the last page. It may also encourage younger children to try to use words to explain feelings and help them to speak up when they need to.

Listen, Hippo! is the perfect book for any junior primary class, as a springboard for discussions on the importance of friendship, feelings, and just being able to listen. Children could illustrate different ideas they might have for helping a friend who is sad, but finish with the understanding that listening may also be just what is needed. It may also be a timely reminder to teachers and parents that sometimes we need to give children the space to be heard.

Reviewed by Sue Mauger

The views expressed in this review belong to the author and not Glam Adelaide, its affiliates, or employees.