HOW TO CLEAN A HIPPOPOTAMUS

How To Clean A Hippopotamus: A Look At Unusual Animal Partnerships

By Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Jenkins, Page, 2010, How to Clean A Hippopotamus: A Look At Unusual Animal Partnerships, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston, New York, ISBN 9780547245157

PLOT SUMMARY

“Why do African helmeted turtles ride on the backs of Hippopotamuses?  And why do boxer crabs pluck anemones from the bottom of the sea?”  Jenkins and Page brilliantly explore the world of animal partnerships and how unlikely pairs benefit one another, mutualism. This informational book explores animal habitats, diets, size and survival tactics taking a close look into the curious biological habits of animals.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Jenkins’s familiar torn paper and watercolor style collages are vivid and realistic.  Arranged in spread format vignettes, the material is well organized and is easy to read. Text is cleverly placed on top of illustrations which create movement from vignette to vignette and page to page.  This nonfiction picture book is packed with wonderful examples of symbiosis partnerships and captures the reader’s initial attention through thoughtful questions which are revealed throughout the book.

While the book design may appear messy or busy, the colorful illustrations and age appropriate content are intriguing for younger readers which grab and hold their attention.  The informational content is impressive. The use of highlighted key words presented throughout the book and then featured in glossary format with additional information, is a wonderful access feature for young readers.   
A wonderful book for introducing young readers to symbiotic relationships.
(Nonfiction, grades K through 3.)

REVIEW EXCERPTS

"These fascinating stories from the natural world will easily interest young people, many of whom will want to move on from the appended notes about each featured critter to more in-depth titles that further explain the mysteries of animal symbiosis."—Booklist, starred review

"Jenkins's trademark collage illustrations continue to impress with their vibrant and stunning manipulation of cut and torn paper. The book is formatted in a block, comic-book style and is written at a level that is accessible to young browsers yet suitable for older researchers. Supplementary information about the size, habitat, and diet of each animal is included in the back matter. This title is another outstanding offering from this extraordinarily talented, wonderfully symbiotic couple."—School Library Journal, starred review

"Who better than a husband and wife team to spotlight intriguing partnerships in nature...Close-ups, aerial views, and vignettes of animals realistically rendered in Jenkins's trademark collage have a cinematic quality. An author note about the different types of symbiotic relationships, as well as appended pages detailing each animal's size, habitat, and diet, reinforce the book's value as a scientific introduction to the topic."—Publishers Weekly

AWARDS: 

2011 ALA Notable Children’s Books, Middle Readers; Booklist Lasting Connections of 2010, Science; Booklist 2010, Top 10 Books for Youth, Sci-Tech; Outstanding Science Trade Books for Student’s K – 12, 2011.

CONNECTIONS:

Science; Have students continue their study of symbiotic relationships through investigating other animals which practice mutualism, parasitism and commensalism.  Pair or group students and have them research and investigate other unique animal relationships.

Art; Use Jenkins’s torn paper illustrations as an example for students to create their own masterpiece related to the animal partnership they research.
Language Arts; Have students write a short essay (paragraph) about their symbiotic animals.  Present the paragraph and illustration before the class.

OTHER BOOKS

Jenkins, Steve, What Do you Do When Something Wants To Eat You? ISBN 0618152431

Waring, Geoff, Oscar and the Snail: A Book About Things That We Use, ISBN 1406319732

Markle, Sandra, Hip-Pocket Papa, ISBN 1570917086

Sayre, April Pulley, Turtle, Turtle, Watch Out! ISBN 0531332853