At first, Hippo doesn’t want to be a hippo at all.
Don’t call me a Hippo!
She looks around and decides that every other animal is cooler than she is. She wishes she could be fast, fancy, or fierce—anything but herself. But as the story unfolds, Hippo slowly learns something powerful: being herself is actually what makes her special.
Happy I’m a Hippo is a sweet and meaningful story about self-acceptance, loving who we are, and celebrating the differences that make each of us unique. It gently reminds kids (and grown-ups, too) that our “different” is often our superpower.
This is one of those books my son keeps coming back to. There’s a little song part in the story, and we ended up making up our own melody for it. Now we sing it together sometimes—out of the blue—and it turns into such a fun, connecting moment for us. 💛
I’m happy I’m a hippo and I’m happy I’m me!
We originally had this book in Turkish, and my son loved it so much that he asked me to buy the English version too. He even took it to school to read to his friends during reading time, which made my heart melt.
The illustrations are bright, lively, and full of emotion. You can really see how Hippo is feeling at different points in the story. I love that the characters experience a range of emotions—it naturally opens the door to talk about feelings, relate them to our own experiences, and connect more deeply.
This book also works beautifully for comprehension and reflection, which is something we love doing after reading. My son enjoys going back through the story, talking about what happened, and imagining what else could have happened.
Here are a few simple questions we like to ask after reading—sharing in case they’re helpful for you too:
- How did the hippo feel at the beginning of the story?
- How did she feel at the end?
- What do you think changed her feelings?
- How do the pictures help you understand the story?
- If you were the author, how would you end the story?
- Which part made you smile the most?
- Which part was your favorite?
- If you could be any animal, which one would you choose? Why?
This is truly one of our favorite books, and we never get tired of reading it.
If you end up reading Happy I’m a Hippo, we’d love to hear what you and your child think about it. 💛
Play. Connect. Repeat
Where to find this book
You can find Happy I’m a Hippo on Amazon.
Affiliate link.
It may also be available through other sellers such as AbeBooks or ThriftBooks.