A little purple hippo faces a dilemma. While getting dressed one day, she realizes that she is missing a red sock. But as she searches throughout her sock drawer, she cannot find a suitable replacement. From blue to green and gray to white, nothing she finds will match. But does that really matter? This new picture-book offering from Jennifer Sattler (Bully) reminds readers of all ages of the enjoyment that may occur when one lets go and embraces imperfection.
Jennifer Sattler is the author and illustrator of several picture books including Sylvie, Chick 'n' Pug, Pig Kahuna, Chick 'n' Pug Meet the Dude, Uh-oh, Dodo!, and her latest, Pig Kahuna Pirates. After several years of teaching college students, she realized that her "inner goofball" needed to come out. Once she started making books for children, she was hooked. "I really am a 5-year old at heart," she says. "These are my people!"
“I have to be fashionable or I cannot be seen,” says the purple hippo as she tries to find a match for the one red sock she’s wearing. Great read-aloud for kids, especially toddlers through preschoolers. Adults and older children will recognize the rhyme pattern and begin to guess the next sock color the purple hippo will try next. One Red Sock has large, fun illustrations with simple text on each page. The author’s note at the end reminds readers that trying to be ‘perfect’ can be frustrating, but to keep trying and you “just might find something amazing you weren’t even looking for.”
In a big pink chair in a room full of dots. . . sat a purple hippo wearing one red sock.
Thus begins this Building Block 2021 Nominee. It is a story about a little purple hippo and her sock dilemma. The vibrant colors and rhyming text will make this a popular read-aloud. As our hippo ponders what sock to choose for her bare foot, the text on the preceding page rhymes with the color on the next page giving the listener a chance to guess the color from that clue. Keep reading until the end to find out just what happened to that missing red sock. This is one of my favorites and I hope our voters will also fall in love with the little purple hippo.
In a big pink chair in a room full of dots. . . sat a purple hippo wearing one red sock.
Thus begins this Building Block 2021 Nominee. It is a story about a little purple hippo and her sock dilemma. The vibrant colors and rhyming text will make this a popular read-aloud. As our hippo ponders what sock to choose for her bare foot, the text on the preceding page rhymes with the color on the next page giving the listener a chance to guess the color from that clue. Keep reading until the end to find out just what happened to that missing red sock. This is one of my favorites and I hope our voters will also fall in love with the little purple hippo. *Review by Darla from Red Bridge*
First sentence: In a big pink chair in a room full of dots...sat a purple hippo wearing one red sock.
Premise/plot: The star of this new picture book is an adorable purple hippo. She is a frustrated hippo. She can’t find a match for her red sock. It is completely missing. So what is a hippo to do?! Will she throw a fit? Have a meltdown? Ask for help? Or brainstorm a solution all her own?
My thoughts: I recommend reading this one at least twice. The first time I read it, I was so wrapped up in the story—including the adorable illustrations—that I completely missed how the rhyming text was planting predictable clues as to what color sock she would try next. I didn’t catch on that this was a color book at all. And I don’t think that is its primary or even secondary purpose. I think the purpose is to teach an important life skill: coping with life when things aren’t perfectly perfect. Sometimes perfect is not going to happen. Sometimes needing something to be perfect causes unnecessary stress. Wearing one red sock and one polka dotted sock isn’t the only right solution, mind you. There could be many different right solutions. I do like that she solved her own problem without too much drama. (That is she doesn’t force her drama on the whole household or the world. She also doesn’t resort to tears and more tears.)
I loved this one. I do wish she had a name, however. I found her a relatable character. Haven’t we all had one red sock days?! It would be super fun to dress up as her.
1st read: 2 stars, The illustrations are wonderful, but the story is alright. It's a short book about a hippo looking for the second red sock and trying on every sock the hippo can find, except the red sock. Fast read.
2nd read: 3 stars, I actually liked this book more the second time I read it and I want to read this book to my preschoolers for our Clothing Unit. It would be fun for them to guess what kind of sock the hippo is going to find and try on next. And I still stand by the wonderful illustrations. They are very colorful and I love the little details, especially the book titles on the books at the beginning of the story. They made me smile.
3rd read: Still like the book!
5th read: 4 stars. This book is really growing on me and I like it more and more each time I read it! Read this book for Story Time for a theme of Socks and the kids had fun guessing what color the next sock would be that the hippo would find.
More I read it: 5 stars! I freakin LOVE this book! It has become one of my favorites! It has great illustrations and the kids have fun guessing what color sock might come next.
This is the second book I've reviewed by author-illustrator Jennifer Sattler. Like BULLY, ONE RED SOCK also is light on text but full of bold, larger-than-life illustrations which will amuse young readers.
How many purple hippos do you know who live in a room full of colorful dots? And how many can't seem to find a red sock to match the one she already has on? Young readers will enjoy meeting this unique hippo, identifying colors, and learning the rhymes.
In the end, after trying out a rainbow of colored socks, Ms. Hippo decides to wear one that has polka dots to match her room.
My daughter absolutely loved this book. She thought that the hippo was just the cutest thing ever. She loved the colors and thought it was hilarious when she found where the other read sock had been hiding.
Fun rhyming book, great for a preschool storytime or a lapsit, especially if the kiddos are good at rhyming and can predict what color will come next. Cute and sweet, with large enough illustrations for a good-sized group.
You may have noticed that my grandmother gifts the girls absolutely delightful books for their birthdays and Christmas. When our younger daughter turned four in September, my grandmother sent her a wonderful choice in One Red Sock, even pairing it with some red socks! One Red Sock, written and illustrated by Jennifer Sattler packs a laugh-inducing punch while reinforcing color concepts for younger audiences and leaving older audiences with a strong life lesson. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ At its surface, One Red Sock is the story of a cute little purple hippopotamus getting dressed. She really, really wants to wear her red socks, but she can only find one. Heart set on matching apparel, hippo searches her entire room, but to no avail. Her polka-dotted walls, facial expressions, and general mess are bound to make you laugh right along with your children as you watch your hippo friend try to sort out her attire. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Written in predictable and precise rhyme, younger audiences will love "reading" this along with you. Along the way, their color concepts will be strengthened without them even realizing they're learning! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ However, One Red Sock also leaves older readers with a valuable takeaway, too Do your clothes have to match perfectly? Does your appearance always have to be perfect? Or might it be better if you choose clothes that reflect your true self and personality? You can also have conversations with your children about remaining positive when things don't go how you planned and persevering through frustration. Oh, and don't forget the importance of keeping one's room clean to make it easier to find what you're looking for! Be sure to check out Sattler’s note at the end about enduring despite imperfection.
When a purple hippo wearing one red sock can’t find it’s matching mate, she starts looking for a fashionable replacement. She tries on several different colored socks, but none of them seem just right. The persistent hippo decides she will not let it ruin her day and continues searching through several more colored socks but slowly gets impatient with the task. Finally after some thought, she pulls on a polka dot sock and although it isn’t perfect, she likes that it matches her polka dot room. So, she happily starts her day only for the reader to learn the other red sock had been there the whole time.
This book is fantastic! The pictures are colorful, bright and adorable. The book places emphasis on the colors of the socks so that the only word that appears on these pages is the color. There are very few words per page and it reads with a lively rhyming beat. The book is lite, easy for young hands to pick up and move around with.
The positive of this book is it is a new take on colors. Otherwise, it just doesn't work for me. The idea is a hippo is wearing one red sock but wants to wear two socks. So they keep putting on random socks, hoping to find a match. Apparently, this hippo doesn't look at the socks before putting them on and doesn't consider taking the red sock off to find a complete pair. The hippo is cute, but drives me crazy-I want to ask 'did you look at that before putting it on your foot? Why are you surprised at the color?'
This is a well-written book which teaches rhyming and colors and is great for the preschool crowd. It is fun to read and the illustrations are pleasing. The book follows the adventures of a hippo who can’t find a matching sock. As the book develops she loses patience but doesn’t lose her temper and instead makes the best of a situation.
This is an excellent book for toddlers and young preschoolers. The story is cute, the illustrations are adorable, there is rhyming and color recognition and it is written in a way that allows kids to complete the sentence with the rhyme/color. It is a relatively simple book, but really fun to read aloud.
This was sweet and had a slightly surprising and very satisfying ending. A color-teaching, rhyming book for the very young, but one in which the reader will definitely want to guess the answer before the page turn. There were a few hiccups in the meter, but overall, a delight for very young kids. And the hippo is adorable!
Adorable! (I'm totally biased due to my love of clothing books - shoes, socks, hats, you name it). Will definitely be using this for toddler storytime AND making it into a flannel board story. Ahh, so cute.
This is one of my new favorite books. It can be used in storytime using the rhyme to guess the color. The illustrations are fun and the author has a great little note about perfectionism at the end. Love it!
I love it!! What a great read-aloud with colors, and rhyming, and guessing! Great for storytimes. The little purple hippo is just so cute and precocious - I love it! And I like the author's brief message in the endnote.
I wonder how this would do for a storytime? I have too much experience right now personally speaking with mismatched socks due to my beloved child and therefore might read this in a strange tone of voice.
Adorable story to practice rhyming with children. Interactive and great for storytime! Little Hippo is trying to be fashionable and perfect and needs to find the correct sock. If at first you don't succeed, try again!
I ADORE THIS BOOK. Perfect for your younger kiddos. It's a cute and simple concept but it's done beautifully! I've currently read this to 3 different groups of kids and every one of them loved it. Being able to guess what happens next is fun for story time! I will read this again and again!
Fun rhyming text accompanies beautiful illustrations to tell the story of a little purple hippo who is just trying to match her socks. She learns all about colors and discovers that perfection isn't always necessary. A fun group read aloud, especially for the toddler crowd!
A simple story about trying to find a matching sock and going through lots of other colours (and pattern) before getting it right. This would make a wonderful flannel/felt story.