Every, every, every year this is the FIRST book I read to new Kindergarten children as a part of their first visit to our school library. I read it because it will be a familiar text, because it allows for fun and participation, because young children love the word hippopotamus (I do too) and because I own a really cute little hippo. He lives in my library bag and if the children are very calm and settled he might come out to meet them!
Our roof leaks.
Drip!
Drip!
Drip!
What a perfect first page. The roof is leaking. Why? Turn the page to discover the answer. Dad says there is a hole in the roof but surely that cannot be the truth. Our little narrator knows so much more than her dad. The hole is connected with the hippopotamus who is on the roof right now and yes, he is eating a delicious slice of cake. I think it might be a cream sponge with jam.
This hippo is a wild and carefree character. He can do so many of the things that our little narrator longs to do but is perhaps not allowed to do. He takes showers not baths. Our narrator would love to do this. She does not look happy in her bath. When I read this book I like to sing with the hippo "I'm singing in the rain, just singing in the rain, what a glorious feeling I'm happy again."
We know the hippo eats cake but what about the humans in the house. Poor mum is on a diet and has to eat bland things like lettuce, tomato and cheese. Her brother eats peanut butter sandwiches which is an interesting idea in this age of anaphylaxis and Epipens. And our narrator eats delicious honey sandwiches. I love the build up of food here from lettuce etc. to peanut butter to honey and then cake! "The hippopotamus on our roof eats cake all the time."
Now we need to think about this cake. It has been mentioned three times. Is it a birthday cake? The children can chorus NO. Is it a chocolate cake? By now the children are in on this game and loudly chorus NO again. Is it special cake? Well of course it is special - after all it is being eating by a large pink hippo on a suburban roof and what could ever top special cake.
So we have had a laugh or two now it is time for a little emotion. Our narrator has had a fall. She is a fabulous drama queen. Her cut knee has produced a "lot of blood" and lead to a hospital visit where "the doctor put three stitches in my knee." Our narrator needs a sympathetic friend. Luckily her hippo understands her pain because he also has a sore knee.
Moving on from pain and sadness the next emotion is indignation. Every child relates to this. Our narrator is not allowed to watch television. "After dinner and a story I have to go to bed." That lucky hippo can watch his television for as long as he likes.
One more emotion. Getting into trouble with your parents. Our little narrator has drawn on a book that belongs to dad. This page is fun because the words have been changed. The original editions say "I drew on Daddy's best book. Daddy gave me a smack." This is now considered child abuse! Hazel Edwards was asked by her publisher to change these words in later editions to say "Daddy growled at me." When I read this book aloud I do not change the words. I do not think this little smack is something adults need to stress over but I guess opinions on this will vary.
Next - every story needs a gasp moment.
"He wasn't there last night."
Where could a roof hippo go? To the zoo of course. I love his job. He watches people. Of course when he is not working he comes back to the roof where he has the great freedom to ride his bike - anywhere. "Mummy won't let me ride on the road. There are cars on the road. There are no cars on the roof. He can ride anywhere." You can just hear the absolute injustice of this in our narrator's voice.
Now it is time to go full circle. The issue of the leaking roof needs to be resolved. Dad has bought in some men to make the repairs with their three hammer bangs we hear an echo of those three earlier drips. Luckily the men don't see the hippo because he climbs down their ladder while "the men had their lunch".
"But he'll be back tonight.
Then I can say -
There's a hippopotamus on our roof eating cake."
Looking at the pages side by side is interesting. Family life is presented on a stark white background with no extra details or background. The facing pages are filled with the hippo on his pink shingled roof eating cake and having fun. He is even smiling when he shows off the bandage on his knee. You might also think about the title - it is "our" roof. This is an inclusive word. There could be a hippo on your roof too or perhaps a lion or a monkey or even an alligator.
In 2012 I talked about There's a Hippopotamus on our Roof Eating Cake. This book has long been a favourite of mine and I am happy to see it is still in print. In 2020 this delightful and imaginative story is turning 40. There are now seven books about this wonderful character. Here is an interview with Hazel Edwards where she explains her processes, inspiration and thoughts about changing the words.
I was interested to discover Hazel has written her memoir with the delightful title - Not just a piece of cake.
Why does a book appeal to an adult? It is a mystery. And what about the way books appeal to children. This is also a mysterious and almost magical process. I imagine someone has written a PhD thesis about this concept. I think of the appeal of books like the Spot series, Where is the Green sheep and today - There's a Hippopotamus on our roof eating cake.
Happy Birthday Hippo - now I will head off to eat some cake!
No comments:
Post a Comment