hippos – Mom Read It

Back to School means putting mental health first

Posted on August 12, 2026August 11, 2026 by Rosemary Kiladitis

A new school year is coming! But it’s good to remember that school may be a source of anxiety for some kids: some kids are nervous about being away from home without their grownups for the first time, and some kids may be anxious about being in class; having to speak up in class, afraid of not knowing an answer, any number of reasons. There are some books out geared to help younger learners navigate this anxiety. Let’s take a look.

Just for Today, by Charlotte Agell/Illustrated by Ana Ramírez González, (July 2026, Scholastic Press), $19.99, ISBN: 9781546181323

Ages 4-8

Elba is a hippo who worries a lot; her worries can keep her up some nights. Norris is an alligator who believes that worry comes from “telling yourself the wrong story”. Norris persuades Elba to create a new story together with him, but the story takes an unexpected turn when they attempt to make the story a reality, sending Elba on an unexpected and frightening adventure! Elba discovers she must rely on herself and not to give in to her worries, and finds herself comforting Norris when the two friends reunite. The point of the story: sometimes, the story changes, but it’s within ourselves to write the ending and a good friend can help co-author a happy one. Cheerful, bright watercolor and graphite illustrations are soft and comforting, and Norris’s and Elba’s large, expressive eyes encourage interaction with the reader. All in all, a sweet and optimistic story that encourages resilience, especially when experiencing the unexpected.

Love, Panda, by Elaine Su/Illustrated by Charlene Chua, (July 2026, Scholastic Press), $19.99, ISBN: 9781546179580

Ages 4-8

A series of letters written by a panda in distress is as hilarious as it is charming. Panda’s human, Benny, left in the new baby’s room, and things are a little damp. (Panda’s ears. Panda’s ears are damp.) In a series of letters to Benny, Panda pleads for rescue: the baby doesn’t know what’s funny! The baby’s crinkly book isn’t entertaining! As the book progresses, we slowly see Baby Lou endear herself to Panda, who discovers that maybe they should stay with Lou a little longer. Panda is a stand-in for children with a new baby in the home: at first, there may be discomfort with a new situation; scoffing at things that Baby doesn’t do that they can do, being praised for rolling over, or just pooping! Panda also shows kids how to be a caring older sibling, noticing little things like Baby’s need for the “Nighty-Night water sounds” in order to fall asleep and the pride of being a baby’s chosen person to speak baby babble to. As Panda sees memories of Baby Benny in Baby Lou, parents can talk about what things were like when the older child was a baby, creating a bridge between the two siblings. Adorable illustrations show a put-upon Panda in laughable situations. Different notepapers give readers the feel of Panda grabbing whatever they could find to scribble missives. An adorable addition to new baby/social-emotional collections.

Duck & Hippo get lost and found!

Posted on August 17, 2017 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Duck and Hippo: Lost and Found, by Jonathan London/Illustrated by Andrew Joyner, (Aug. 2017, Two Lions/Amazon), $17.99, ISBN: 978-1542045629

Recommended for readers 3-7

Duck and Hippo: Lost and Found, the second book in Froggy author Jonathan London’s new buddy series is every bit as sweet as the first one, Duck and Hippo in the Rainstorm. In this latest tale, the friends go on a picnic with their friends Turtle, Elephant, and Pig. Everyone’s brought something to share… except for Hippo, who forgot! Determined to make things right, he sets off into the forest in search of wild berries. As night falls, Duck and friends worry that Hippo’s gotten lost, but what should they do?

There are great themes at work here: friendship, the main plot point that drives the Duck and Hippo adventures; sharing and caring for one another emerge as the story progresses. Kids will appreciate Duck’s decision to search for her friend, and the decision to stay in a group and loudly call for Hippo will provide relief to parents, who likely give the same advice to kids in the event of a separation (I know I do). Repeated phrases provide kids with the chance to jump in and be part of the Hippo search party. I love Andrew Joyner’s cheerful art, and the colorful, emphasized fonts that add to a reading. Andrew Joyner offers free, downloadable activity pages on his website, too – the kids at my library love the coloring sheets, which have been a staple of my summer coloring club.

Jonathan London has written more than one hundred children’s books, including the bestselling Froggy series, illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz. He is the author of the popular Duck and Hippo series, illustrated by Andrew Joyner. Many of his books explore nature, among them Flamingo Sunset, illustrated by Kristina Rodanas, and Little Penguin: The Emperor of Antarctica, illustrated by Julie Olson. He is also author of the Aaron’s Wilderness middle-grade series, illustrated by his son Sean London. Jonathan lives in Graton, California. Learn more online at www.jonathan-london.net.

Andrew Joyner is an illustrator, author, and cartoonist based in South Australia. He has illustrated a number of picture books, and he wrote and illustrated a chapter book series about a warthog named Boris. He is the illustrator of the popular Duck and Hippo series, written by Jonathan London. He has also illustrated for newspapers and magazines, including the Wall Street Journal, Reader’s Digest, and Rolling Stone magazine, among others. Learn more online at www.andrewjoyner.com.au.

Giveaway!

Two Lions is offering a set of the Duck and Hippo books–DUCK AND HIPPO IN THE RAINSTORM and DUCK AND HIPPO LOST AND FOUND–to one lucky winner (U.S. addresses only, please). Just enter this https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.jsecopter.com/rafl/display/bbc165de19/" rel="nofollow" data-raflid="bbc165de19" data-theme="classic" data-template="" id="rcwidget_scf2jfhw">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a> https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js“>Rafflecopter giveaway!

Animal Fiction, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Roar! A Tale of Friendship and Sleepless Adventure

Posted on October 11, 2015August 31, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Roar! by Julie Bayless (Oct. 2015, Running Press), $16.95, ISBN: 9780762457502

Recommended for ages 2-5

A little lion cub can’t get to sleep. When he tries to wake up his family to play, their snores send him roaming the savannah in search of fun. He meets a group of hippos and a group of giraffes, but his friendly “ROAR” scares them off, but he and a bunny hit it off perfectly, and spend the rest of the night yelling “ROAR!” and “MORE!” together!

Roar! is a fun tale of friendship and adventuring. Kids (and sleepy parents) will recognize themselves in the little lion cub, trying to no avail to wake up the sleepy grownups to have some fun. The little guy’s no predator, but his friendly exclamation scares off much bigger animals; when he meets a similarly spunky bunny, the fun begins.

The book mixes graphic novel-style panels with full-page spreads and shifts in perspective, making this a fun read that will keep little ones engaged. It’s interactive – I’ve read this to toddlers and preschoolers, and we’ve hollered “ROAR!” and “MORE!” to our hearts’ content as we read through the book. I had one group of toddlers demand a second reading, and the roars were wonderful!

The digital art has a beautiful sharpness to it. The backgrounds are largely dark violet-blue, with the animals crisply defined against them. There are few words to the story: mostly “Roar” and “More”, with a few snores, burps and sniffs thrown in for good measure, so there is a lot of room for interaction – kids can describe the land, name the animals the cub encounters, and veer off into their own narration.

Roar is a great storytime book, bedtime book, anytime book. It’s been kid-tested, mother and librarian approved – don’t miss it!