LISTEN, HIPPO!

In this Australian import, a stuffed hippo tries to cheer up a young boy through elaborate imaginative adventures before discovering what the little one really needs.

When young Billy tells Hippo he’s feeling sad, the well-meaning stuffed companion launches into a whirlwind of imaginative activities—dressing up in costumes, dancing among the cherry blossoms, embarking on pirate adventures, having flying carpet races, and planning a party. None of it works, and Billy at last reveals that he just wants a supportive friend to listen. Evans’ watercolor and colored pencil illustrations shine, particularly in the expansive double-page spreads. The pirate ship scene relies on diagonal composition and a massive curling wave to create drama and movement, while the flying carpet sequence employs aerial perspective over a bustling, colorful cityscape to convey breathtaking scope. Other scenes have an appealing retro charm reminiscent of early Olivia books. The text, however, isn’t quite as successful. Billy’s dialogue feels unnaturally adult (“It’s not what I need right now”), and the didactic message dominates the narrative rather than emerging organically. The book joins an increasingly crowded shelf of recent picture books explicitly teaching emotional processing and active listening—though Evans’ artistic skill elevates it above many peers, the heavy-handed lesson-giving may wear thin for readers seeking genuine storytelling. Billy has dark hair and skin the white of the page.

The artwork deserves attention, but the therapeutic agenda overshadows the narrative pleasure.