by Moe Zilla

Created on: February 22, 2010

It's everything you want in a children's book - a funny story about talking animals with lots of pretty, colorful drawings. ("Early one morning, Hippo woke up with a toothache," the book begins...) In fact, the book feels like a cartoon, with slapstick action and lots of lively personalities. Illustrator Kevin O'Malley even draws the characters with bold black outlines, so they appear like clear comic drawings against a white background that's used to represents the sky. And author Marjorie Dennis Murray made sure her book arrived with a wacky title.

"Hippo Goes Bananas!"

The hippo "grumped and bellowed", and the first person he wakes up is Cuckoo Bird, who immediately concludes that yes, "He's going bananas" - and then flies off to tell Monkey. (Funny animals for a funny story?) Monkey repeats the message for Leopard - all the animals have generic names - and soon Leopard is repeating it to Giraffe. (Who tells Zebra, who tells Elephant...) Each animal exaggerates a little bit more, until the hippo is being described as single-handedly deforesting the entire jungle in a fiendish plot to dam up the river and flood the Serengeti. But each re-telling begins with the exact same words...

"Hippo's gone bananas."

The animals aren't much help. When they find the groaning hippopotamus, they guess that he's swallowed a frog. Or maybe it was a termite.  Maybe he's contracted "skeeter fever." Rushing into action, they roll the hippo towards the river - which involves sliding him over a spectacular cliff.

The illustrations then turn on their side, as though a two-page spread was necesary to convey just how far the poor hippopotamous fell. The word "BUMPITY" appears in red letters in the sky as the hippo's enormous body floats by - seen only from behind. It's a two-panel illustration, but the second panel simply shows that the hippo is still falling - this time, facing forward, as the word "BUMP!" appears above him. Turn the page, and there's six more panels - because it's a really, really long ways down.

"Thumpity! Thump! Bump! Thump! Klump!"

"'Oooooooo, ooooooo', moaned Hippo...."

His animals friend were entirely wrong, of course - but guess what?  The fall knocked his molar out! ("OH!" shouts Cuckoo Bird.  "THAT'S what was wrong with you!") All his well-meaning friends pitch in, and nudge the hefty animal back on his feet. And the story arrives at its final punchline. Yes, the hippo's toothache is gone...

But now his HEAD aches!

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