One Hippo Hops

I'm starting to think that counting books need to put a disclaimer on the cover...

THREE PROS

*I appreciate the variety of activities that these hippos get into after having read a number of titles that seem to center all the action within a narrow band of rote

*The three hippos jogging scream modernity, what with their earbud armbands and bottled waters -- a welcome sight in a Dewey Decimal System full of relics

*Parachuting hippos -- what a concept

THREE CONS 

*Dumb ending combined with the idea I hinted at in the intro regarding putting a disclaimer on this thing makes for quite the double whammy of unexpected sucktitude

*The hippos are frankly just ugly to look at (because of the realistic manner illustrator Vlasta van Kampen chooses to use)

*I sort of see why hippos dragging other species in carts is considered trotting (since horses do this for humans), but then again, I sort of don't

ONE DAD'S OPINION

Perhaps I ventured into this review in a mindset that was not fair to author Jane Yolen's work.  I mean it's a counting book and not a NYT Bestseller for goodness sake.  Still, it annoys me whenever I pick up something that looks like it might have some promise and end up at home with what can only be categorized as more of the same old...  Just because it does certain things well doesn't make up for this.  So, in sum, One Hippo Hops has a few bright spots, but for the most part is best signified by two letters: OK.    

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