“Hippopotamuses, as a general rule, do not speak.” – opening line of Mister H
Are you looking for a preschool chapter book that will catch your child’s attention? The main character of Mister H is a talking, sarcastic hippopotamus in a bow tie. Is there really anything else you need to know?
Mister H is a darling toddler or preschool chapter book. It was originally written in Spanish, but we read the English translation.
The video review of Mister H gives a look at what I liked and didn’t like about the book, what ages it would be good for, and anything questionable that you need to know about before picking the book up.
Scroll past the video for just the bare details. (Really, though, the thorough review video is worth watching if you are thinking this might be a good book to read to your kids.)
If you don’t watch the video, make sure to read the Special Considerations section so that you aren’t blindsided by something in the book that might be a touchy subject for some families.
Title: Mister H
Author: Daniel Nesquens
Illustrator: Luciano Lozano
Details: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2015
Number of Pages: 65 pages
Number of Chapters: 11 chapters
Average Chapter Length: 6 pages
Picture Frequency: 1 picture on every page; some pages are just illustration
Special Considerations: The hippo, Mister H, is sad because he has no home or family. He is trying to find his way back home, but he doesn’t make it home by the end of the story.
My Thoughts: Mister H is great as a read aloud for any age. Because of the high picture frequency and memorable main character, it would be a great first chapter book to read aloud to even very young kids.
The book is very funny for both kids and adults. The ending is abrupt, but young children will probably not be too bothered by that. I give it 3 out of 5 Ears. If you see it at the library pick it up because it is worth reading, if only for the funny, sarcastic quips from a talking hippo in a bow tie.
Have you read Mister H? What did you think? What other books have you read that were translated from their original languages?
