The Adventures of Bentley Hippo: Inspiring Children to be Patient

by Argyro Graphy

Join Jaxon, a hyperactive monkey, in a lineup to ride a rocket ship to the moon. But there's just one problem—Jaxon can't seem to sit still and wait his turn!
In this hilarious tale, Jaxon's excitement and impatience lead to an ice cream catastrophe! Ice cream cones go flying, causing a sticky mess everywhere. Uh-oh!
Can Bentley and his friends teach Jaxon the art of patience and waiting calmly like the others? Follow along as these lovable characters embark on a mission to help Jaxon chill out and join in the fun without causing chaos.
Children will discover. This is the 4th book of a fantastic award-winning series featuring Bentley the bubbly hippo and his amazing group of friends. Packed with colorful illustrations that will capture young imaginations, this series is a bedtime favorite in the making.

A must-have collection for any classroom, home, and SEL library. Ideal for children ages 4-8. toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarten, and elementary grades will enjoy the benefits of this book and series.

* Don’t miss the final book in the award-winning series, "Inspiring Children to Accept Each Other," where Bentley faces a tough choice between his dream of going to the moon and his friends.

Follow the author for more entertaining stories for children, including affirmation and gratitude journals. Don't forget to visit bentleythehippo.com for free activity sheets, and to join Bentley's Book Club email list.

33 pages, Paperback

Published September 21, 2022

About the author

Who is behind the Bentley Hippo brand?

Argyro Graphy is a proud Canadian author and creator of the award-winning Bentley Hippo series, loved by kids and educators worldwide. With a background in purchasing, marketing, retail, and education, she blends fun storytelling with valuable life lessons, helping children develop kindness, resilience, and inclusivity.
Her books are also recognized by psychology experts for their positive impact on children's emotional growth.
Her work has earned multiple awards, including the Family Choice Award, the Canadian Choice Award, and Most Empowering Social-Emotional Organization (2025).

When she’s not writing, Argyro enjoys a bit of mischief, playing pranks and making people smile. She is passionate about giving back, donating books to charities and children in need.

To further her mission, she created the 30-Day Kindness Superstar Challenge, engaging over 3,000 participants. She also mentors young writers and creates custom books for schools and organizations.

Visit bentleythehippo.com for free activities, join Bentley's Book Club (email), and more!

Reviews

[Cindy Ninni Ninni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kids will love Bentley and his friends.
Jaxon, a monkey can’t sit still. His hyperness and impatience causes problems and upsets his friends.
Everyone teaches Jaxon how to calm down by taking big breaths, refocusing and playing games while waiting his turn to ride the blue “rocket.”
The beautiful illustrations are joyous.

[Robbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Adventures of Bentley Hippo, Inspiring Children Series, by Argyro Graphy, is an impressive series of stories for children. The newest addition is no less impressive.

Bentley’s friend, Jaxon, a monkey, comes to Bentley’s house one morning so excited Bentley can’t understand him. As Bentley follows his friend, there are many slip-ups in Jaxon’s behavior. Jaxon causes mishaps such as making everyone’s ice cream fall on the ground. Jaxson gets in trouble because he can’t stand still. Bentley figures out Jaxon is a very impatient monkey.

After recognizing and understanding the problem, Bentley helps Jaxon figure out how to stay calm. Jaxon and Bentley’s other friends, Daisy, the giraffe, Toby, the elephant, and Marty, the lion, also help Jaxon.

Graphy’s story will explain to children and help them understand how their disturbing and distressing overexuberance and impatience impact and affect everyone around them, including themselves.

The illustrations, by Michael Reyes, are striking and vibrantly portrayed. The appealing pictures are eye-catching and attention-grabbing with their rich, intense colors, which are sure to appeal to young kids.

The author aptly shows youngsters how to accept others for whom they are, in addition to helping them without unkind criticism, bullying or judgment. The Bentley Hippo stories are effective means of conveying these lessons to children.

I received The Adventures of Bentley Hippo: Inspiring Children to be Patient from Book Sirens. However, I was under no obligation to post a positive review. All opinions are my own.

[Sam Andersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very inspirational book about ADHD. The storyline is entertaining and does an excellent job of communicating the challenges a child with ADHD faces on a daily basis. Read to a child with ADHD, it teaches them many ways to calm their hyperactivity by refocusing their minds on other activities. Read to a child without hyperactivity, it teaches them to understand why a friend or classmate might have difficulty with patience or focusing on the task at hand. In both cases, this book is educational for all young children and teaches them to be mindful of others.

The illustrations are inspiring and help the child further understand the concepts of the story. I look forward to reading the other books in this learning series.

I received this ARC free of charge from Book Sirens and the publisher. I leave this review voluntarily.

[Ronit · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book, we meet Bentley Hippo and his friends, Jaxson, Daisy, Marty and Toby.

They all are going to have some fun activity, but Jaxson is very excited that he can wait.
He learns how to be patient.


This is a great book for the kids, with a moral.
The illustration is wonderful.

I recommend this book for kids ages 4-8.

[Jaz K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

An inspiring way to teach children different methods to be patient!!

This was a great story with a wonderful message and thoughtful ideas of how to handle feeling impatient. My favorite part is the lesson and Bentley teaching his friend the impact his actions had on others and how he could occupy himself until they could reach the front of the line. I love parks, rides, and all that Jazz. Being impatient/patient is part of that experience and so I fully appreciate the anecdote here. This lesson easily translates to any part of our lives and I hope to have my son learn them early on. The only thing I would love to see done differently in future books is the flow of the pages: what the page says and what it shows matching up more evenly so as I read the book to my little one I can point and show him what I mean right there on that page. Other than that - an A+ read!! We can’t wait To read the next one!

[Jessica Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Adventures of Bentley Hippo: Inspiring Children to be Patient" is a great book for kids about a little monkey who learns how to be more patient with the help of his friends.
The story begins with Jaxon the monkey knocking on Bentley Hippo's door. Jaxon is talking too fast for Bentley to understand him, so he follows him to see what is going on. They find all of their friends lined up in a long line to ride something called the blue rocket. Jaxon is so excited and keeps trying to push his way to the front of the line but he keeps getting sent back. He causes such a commotion that at one point all of his friends drop their ice cream! Bentley gently encourages Jaxon to be more patient. The friends come up with a game to play while waiting in line to calm Jaxon down and it works!
This book would be a great way to help kids learn how to be more patient and can give them some ideas/activities to do while they are waiting for something. There are a few more ideas in the back of the book for kids to try.

[Sarina Siebenaler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring Patience and the Kindness of Friendship!

My children adore all of the Bentley books! This one was no exception! As a parent with 3 kids it is hard for them to conceptually understand this at times. This story delivers tools to help children understand what it means using humor, friendship, perseverance and kindness too! We love Bentley and his friends and this author has done such a wonderful job once again. The illustrations are just so cute and the colors are beautifully vibrant. Highly recommend this book for schools and parents!

[Marilyn Sitar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Home Run for Bentley!

Bentley has hit it out of the park again with another book in this series, this time teaching kids about “patience”. What an important concept, and one that helps us all if we can only be a little more patient with ourselves and with each other. As always, the characters are lovable and adorable. You will fall in love with Bentley and his crew!

[Dianne Bateman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiration and Fun

This book is so much fun and watching Jaxon is exhausting. Seeing Bentley lead the characters to success is such a great lesson for a hyper friend or acquaintance. Recommended read to teach kids the importance of patience and great to read and explain with your kids.

[Marichus Real · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excited Jaxson knocked on Bentley’s door to tell him something, but as Bentley can’t understand him, he decided to follow him. They arrive at a field where there is a long queue of people waiting for something, but as there are so many people, they can’t see what’s going on. Jaxson is so excited that he tried to jump the queue several times and the ticket agent tells them off. Bentley and his other friends try to calm Jaxson down, playing some games to distract him.
Patience is a virtue that children need to learn. They want to have all the things asap and it is difficult for them to wait for something. I found this book very helpful.
I like the illustrations, they are very colourful and bright and I love the expressions on the animals’ faces.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Carol Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Adventures of Bentley Hippo
By Argyro Graphy
Genre: Children’s Fiction

Summary
The preface gives the reader a nice introduction to the characters and what type of disability they have. Five friends: vision impaired, autism hearing impaired, diabetes, ADHD, and Alopacia. This presents a parent with the opportunity to explain to their child/children what these disabilities and/or medical conditions are all about.

The “heads-up” prepares the readers for the story.
Different
Bentley’s friends arrive on scene in a very different manner. These friends are different as we will soon find out. They float down in a hot air balloon. We are told they came from a hospital. It makes a “hospital” seem like a fun, friendly place and it gives a clue that these children have a physical problem.
Children will be awestruck and curious at this introduction.

Gratitude
The children surprise Bentley with a “rocket ship” that will fly them to the moon. This is his dream of a lifetime. His friends have expressed their gratitude to Bentley for teaching them life values: hope, kindness, perseverance, how to share and other important values.

Dealing with Disappointment
Disappointment stops Bentley from going on the Rocket Ship. His friends are not allowed to go with him because they are different.
Loyalty
Bentley is loyal to his friends; he will not go to the moon without them. He “stands-up” for his friends by challenging the man at the entrance gate to the rocket ship.

Team Work
Bentley and his friends join together as a team of teachers. Their attitude reflects kindness toward this “not- so-kind-man”. They scold him by telling him not to bully others because they are different; Bentley emphasizes the fact that they are all special in their own way.

Humbleness
The man is humbled because of this demonstration of love. Friends and loving others no matter who they are or what they are like is more important than enjoying a “dream come true”.
Life is not much fun without friends.

Victory
Bentley “stands his ground”. The result is “victory”. Bentley and all his friends are allowed to venture to the moon on the rocket ship.

Review
This is an uplifting and enjoyable story for children who are different in some fashion. The plot offers encouragement to children with disabilities who “feel” different and not accepted in society.
Life lessons need to be taught when a child is young, and this book helps to make it happen.
The lessons teach children to accept those who are different.
Children will love the characters and recognize the values being taught.
1. Friendship above all else
2. The joy of sharing
3. The joy of being together
4. The joy of a dream come true
5. Life is complete when we accept others for who they are
6. Encouragement
7. Find ways to help others with suggestions
A strong teaching for children who are “normal”.
A lesson in kindness, self acceptance and accepting others for the way they are
The colorful illustrations enhance the story and will help children to visualize the scenes.
Reviewed by:
Carol Smith, Author
Tales of Wonder Woods

[Book Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is something exciting happening in the town where Bentley the Hippo lives. His monkey friend Jaxon knocked on his door and was so excited he could hardly talk. Together they race down the path, following the arrows to where the rest of their friends stand in line waiting. The line is really long, and they can not see the end. All they can hear over the loudspeakers is an announcement saying, "Ride the Big Blue Rocket!"

Jaxon is too excited to wait and tries to cut in line. After being sent back, he bounces all over the place, ruining the rest of his friends' ice cream they were trying to eat. Realizing Jaxon needs help to settle down and wait patiently, all his friends look for shapes in the clouds. Soon they are at the front of the line and are about to see what the excitement is all about!

The Adventures of Bentley Hippo: Inspiring Children to be Patient by children's author, Argyro Graphy, is a well-written picture book that teaches children important lessons. Being kind and patient is something that children are told to do all the time, but they can be complex concepts for young kids to understand. Bently and his friends model good manners and show kindness to Jaxon even when he cannot remain calm and patient. They do not yell at him or get mad; instead, they accept this is who he is and find ways to distract him to make the waiting bearable for him.

Illustrator Michael Reyes has created memorable and entertaining artwork for this picture book. Jaxon's energy is visible, and the excitement he shows is contagious. Also, the concern Bentley has as he tries to help his friend settle down can be felt through the pages. The bright colors and welcoming characters will make children want to settle down and listen to the important message of the story.

The characters in this children's story are relatable and fun to read about. This picture book would make an excellent addition to preschool and kindergarten libraries as teachers and caregivers work to instill good manners in children in an age-appropriate way.

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 4 out of 5]

With vibrant characters, this book teaches an important message while keeping it fun.

Bentley's doorbell rings, and when he opens it to find a very excited monkey, the adventure begins. Although Bentley isn't sure what monkey wants, since he's too excited to speak clearly. Curious, Bentley joins his friend to see what's going on and discovers a long line waiting to see the action. But monkey isn't about to wait patiently until it's their turn and tries to sneak into the front of the line. This doesn't work out the way he'd hoped.

This is the 4th book in a prize winning series, which follows Bentley and his friends as they learn important messages about life. In this book, the monkey learns the importance of being patient in a tale, which combines humor, lovely characters, and situations readers can identify with. Before the tale begins, the author gives a short introduction on being patient and the benefits it brings. This allows caretakers an opportunity to prepare for the book and use it with a clear intention...and that while still grabbing listeners' interest.

The tale is fun, and the characters are full of life. It's hard not to smile and wonder at monkey's excitement, and it's clear things won't run well when he refuses to wait his turn. Listeners can identify with the situation and feel for all the characters as the story unfolds. It's well and clearly written, and works well as a read-aloud. The illustrations are bright and bold with characters to make listeners smile. I was a bit disappointed that the situations were told in the text but not always displayed in the illustrations, since seeing everything step happen would draw listeners in more and make the situations clearer. Still, the book does a nice job at fulfilling its purpose. And to top it off, there are some ideas at the end for readers/listeners to try themselves.
I received a complimentary copy and found these characters to be lovely.

[Monika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leading by Example: A Story About Calm, Patience, and Understanding

The Adventures of Bentley Hippo is a thoughtful picture book that explores patience not as a flaw to fix, but as a strength to learn from. Bentley himself is calm, steady, and emotionally grounded—serving as a quiet role model for those around him who struggle with waiting, frustration, or rushing through experiences. Rather than centering on misbehavior, the story highlights the value of slowing down and responding thoughtfully to challenges.

What makes the book especially effective is this shift in perspective. Bentley doesn’t need to change; instead, his behavior gently influences others. Through everyday situations, children see how patience can create space for better choices, calmer emotions, and more positive outcomes. This approach feels respectful and empowering, showing young readers that patience is something that can be shared and learned through observation and example.

The pacing of the story mirrors its message. Moments are allowed to breathe, reinforcing the idea that not everything needs to happen immediately. This makes the book particularly well suited for read-alouds, where adults and children can pause, reflect, and talk about what patience looks like in real life.

The Adventures of Bentley Hippo is a strong social-emotional learning title for families and classrooms. By presenting patience as a guiding force rather than a correction, the book encourages children to notice calm behavior, understand its impact, and gradually apply it in their own interactions—one unhurried moment at a time.

[Stephanie Grayson · Rating 3 out of 5]

We All Have a Friend Like Jaxon!

We all have a friend like Jaxon. We can all relate to this story.

First impression: Stellar illustrations! Crisp. Colourful. Fun. Great way to draw in the audience.

Second impression: We can all relate to this story and have felt the way the friends did when faced with similar behaviour.

Third impression: This story addresses many important values and attributes namely kindness, patience and friendships.

Criticisms: I thought that I would like the inclusion of a character with ADHD. Unfortunately, I didn’t find the connection I was looking for.

ADHD has many features - hyperactivity being the most stereotypical. The portrayal of Jaxon as such, essentially perpetuates the stereotype as well as implies that those with ADHD lack manners and self-control in the presence of anything stimulating. Perhaps leaving out the label would have been more appropriate because anyone can have those attributes.

This book is part of series. What a great way for children to bond with and learn about characters and important lessons.

I have not read the Bentley series however the book covers are fabulously designed, and the story titles indicate to me that the themes are deep and meaningful. I would buy these books based on those two things alone.

[Suzanne Hare · Rating 5 out of 5]

A loud knock at the front door has Bentley, the hippo, wondering who it could be. It is Jaxon, the monkey and he is rather excitedq. As they approach the event, they find some other friends. The only problem is the line up is sooo long and Jaxon is growing impatient. Can Bentley help him calm down before they get kicked out.

Patience is difficult to learn and even harder to practice, especially when excited about something. This fun and engaging book tries to tackle this concept by emphasizing the behaviours that display patience such as, waiting your turn, filling in the time with other activities, and thinking about how you are affecting others. It also discusses what being patient means. What I like the most though, is the strategies that are identified to help someone stay calm and practice patience. There are additional strategies at the end of the book.This book provides the opportunity to start a conversation about patience and to practice strategies within the home and schools. I think not only children need this lesson but many adults do to.The illustrations are fun and engaging with great facial expressions. This is a useful and fun book, great for any home.

[Kevin Albin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, she has. Argyro Graphy has produced another wonderful book for children. Firstly, the illustrations by Michael Reyes are as exceptional as always. Clear and colourful, they just about jump out of the page. The story has a good pace and excellent dialogue between the characters. The story is engaging and fun and has a message that is not too pushy but evident nonetheless. These books are great for kids to learn about life and a useful tool for parents. And, Bentley is a loveable character in his own right. Well done the team!

[K.H.M · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely book about being patient!

The book is amusing, has bright and fun illustrations and carry an interesting story! It shows the importance of being patient in a fun and relatable way to kids. Loved it!

[Karen Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can't miss with Bentley!

Another great lesson learned with Bentley and his friends- the colorful illustrations in these books are always fun and enhance the story. Helpful suggestions for trying to be patient will be appreciated by parents and fun for kids.

[Toby Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Patience Pays Off

When an impatient Jaxon cuts in line, knocks ice cream out of Bentley's hands and creates a disruptive environment, his friend gives him examples on how to stay calm. Fun story for all ages on being kind and polite.

[Biggs_bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kids enjoyed it and the examples
We’re a great example as my kids have done the exact same thing in ride lines. My kids love the art work and the fun characters. And as a parent anything that teaches my kids about good life choices with out them realizing is good for me.

[Elite Books 4 Kids · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Bentley and Jaxon are my favorites. When someone can't stand still we should play games with them to calm them down so they are not so excited
- Emily 6 years old

Emily is one of 6 kid reviewers providing honest feedback. Her comments have not been influenced by other kids

[Ausita Ausita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fun story with a good lesson.
This time Bentley and his friends learn the importance to be patient.
Beautifully illustrated, this book is engaging and captivating.
A great series that includes important topics.

[Kalli Haney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Makes a good point

I thought the moral of the story was fantastic. Also, the pictures are cute. I just wish the story had a better ending.

[Cindy Davis- Cindy's Book Corner · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent children's book, especially for those who have ADHD or struggle with patience. Full review here: https://cindysbookcorner.blogspot.com...

[Lyn Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the colourful illustrations in this book. The author has written a story that children will love and at the same time is teaching them about being patient. A good read.

[Andrea Coke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another adorable book in the Bentley Hippo series. A very relatable, engaging story for kids who need some reminders about being patient. The illustrations are exceptional.