Baby Hippo couldn’t fall asleep.
He rolled and wriggled.
He stood on his head. He waggled his legs.
He grunted and groaned. “Oh, ah, oh!”
“Hush, hush!” said his mum softly and sleepily.
Baby Hippo can’t sleep, so he goes for a walk. Wherever he goes through the jungle he hears mothers telling their babies to ‘hush, hush.’ Eventually, feeling tired, he trudges back home where – eventually – he manages to fall asleep beside his own mum.
Hush, Hush! is a delightful sequel, or companion, to Kiss, Kiss! by the same wonderful pairing of author Margaret Wild and illustrator Bridget Strevens-Marzo and has a similar patterning to the text, whilst being different enough to be able to enjoy both. Strevens-Marzo’s art, with the purples of the dusky sky and the deep greens and browns of the jungle, along with the jungle animals, is beautiful.
This would make an excellent bed time sharing story and is sure to be as well received as Kiss, Kiss! which has sold over 200, 000 copies worldwide.
Hush, Hush! by Margaret Wild & Bridget Strevens-Marzo
Little Hare, 2009
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