HADLEY THE HIPPO IS WHAT SHE EATS

A hippo changes color based on what she eats in this silly rhyming book by author-illustrator Green.

Hadley, a hippo who lives in the jungle, is a rare creature indeed—she is what she eats! (“With every bite of food she takes / Her color changes to match the treat,” the narrator explains.) On one very hungry day, Hadley wanders through the jungle, letting young readers know that the fruit she sees provides a clue about the color she will turn. Hadley eats through a rainbow of fruits: strawberries, tangerines, bananas, berries, limes, and plums. Appearing as a different brilliant color on every page, Hadley finally rests in a bed of flowers to eat again another day. Green’s refrains and rhyming text will likely inspire young lap readers to chime in. The rhyme scheme isn’t immediately obvious, but the rhythm becomes clear by the second or third fruit, and the repeated readings that lap readers are likely to request will give their adults plenty of practice. Green includes notes in the back of the book on how to give the silly story a deeper biblical meaning, touching on how the thoughts people put into their minds influence who they become. But for readers looking for lighter fare, the silly colorful hippo stands well on her own, and the bright cartoon illustrations may inspire youngsters to try to draw their own multihued creatures.

An enjoyably whimsical tale with plenty of repeated words and colors for the toddler set.