You Look Ridiculous Said the Rhinoceros to the Hippopotamus

by Bernard Waber

A hippopotamus learns to be happy with the way she looks in spite of the fact that the elephant tells her that she lacks ears, the leopard that she needs spots, etc.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1966

About the author

Bernard Waber was the youngest in a creative family. At age 8, he ushered in a movie theater after school, so he often saw only the last ten minutes of a movie. He made a game of inventing beginnings and middles. When he returned from a tour of duty in World War II, he entered the Philadelphia College of Art. With a diploma and a new wife, he traveled to New York City, where he began working for the Condé Nast magazines as an illustrator. Reading books to his three children inspired him to apply his pen and ink and watercolor style to his own picture books. His first book, Lorenzo, was built in 1961. Today, his characters are some of the most beloved in the library. He and his wife, Ethel, live on Long Island.

Reviews

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent story, with good morale (you don´t need to change how you look, you´re perfect the way you are).
Just didn´t care much for the artwork.

[Carla Raymer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A humorous book teaching about kindness and about loving yourself for who you are. "Be proud of who you are". A great lesson to go into after this would be to ask the children to name one thing that they love about themselves.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute story about learning to accept yourself and other peoples' differences. :) LOVE the illustration of the hippo's wish coming true in the dream!

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rhinoceros tells a hippopotamus he looks ridiculous because he doesn't have a horn on his nose. So the hippo goes in search of other opinions from other animals, who do confirm that he does look ridiculous, but not necessarily because he lacks a horn.

[Brigitte · Rating 4 out of 5]

A witty tale about being confident in who you are, with great characters and refrains that children can predict and join in with.

[Gil-or (readingbooksinisrael) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Too many words on each page, but besides that pretty good.

[Raquel Pilar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED it!
Great way to show (actually show) kids that we can be perfect in our own way! Diversity is amazing and thank goodness we are different!

[Jurene · Rating 4 out of 5]

A silly book similar to "I Wish I had Duck Feet." A simple reminder to enjoy and be content with the people we were made to be!

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny and great lesson. With G.

[Lynne Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book with wonderful takeaway about accepting ourselves for who we are, but naturally dated in the execution. Still an important book to share!

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

My version is from 1966 from Sandpiper. Loved the story, but hated the ugly 60's illustrations. A cute story about a hippo who everyone thinks looks ridiculous because she doesn't look like them. She doesn't have a horn like a rhino, a mane like a lion, spots like the leopard, ears like an elephant, a tail like a monkey, a neck like a giraffe, a shell like a turtle, or a sweet voice like the nightingale. She doesn't have any of these things until one night she dreams that she has all of these things at once and then all the animals laugh at her. When she goes to look at her reflection, she realizes she does look ridiculous. And then she wakes up, happy in the knowledge that it was only a dream, and "proud to be just what she is, a big fat wonderful hippo". It is possible to use this book as a way to teach kids about self-perception.

[Stephanie Delvecchio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: A hippopotamus is wallowing very happily in her favorite mudhole until a snooty rhinoceros ambles along and tells her she looks ridiculous because she doesn't have a horn on her nose. So begins Bernard Waber's hilarious tale of an insecure hippo, who suffers from a severe inferiority complex until she realizes she's just fine the way she is, "a big, fat, wonderful hippopotamus". Waber is a great children's author and this book provides a message that any preschooler can relate to and understand, that everyone is special and unique in his or her own way. The ink and spatter-paint illustrations, in black, red and green, are fun to look at and help carry the story along. Kids from 3 to 6, and their parents too, will love this book. Thank you to JLind555 from Amazon!

Themes: self-esteem, bullying

Curricular use: independent reading, read-aloud

[Christine Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary:
A hippopotamus walks through the forest, growing increasingly depressed as one animal after another confesses that she looks ridiculous because she lacks a horn like a rhinoceros.

My Storytime http://www.hcpl.net/cgi-bin/ebranch/s...

Subjects


Animals -- Juvenile fiction


Hippopotamus -- Juvenile fiction.


Rhinoceroses -- Juvenile fiction.


Self-perception -- Juvenile fiction


Alienation (Social psychology)


Self-acceptance -- Juvenile fiction

[Heloyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite books by Bernard Waber maybe because of my own desire to have "her" hair, "her" smile, "her" size, etc. However, realizing it could be worse is a good lesson to learn.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love yourself the way you are! That's the lesson I learned from this book.

[The Book Box]

Mama read this to me early in the morning after I woke up and played in my crib awhile, but I was still too antsy to pay much attention.