Listen, Hippo! by Gabriel Evans

"Billy was having a bad day. ... Billy wished there was someone he could talk to."

He tells his friend Hippo that he is feeling sad and that his brain is whirling like a pinwheel but Hippo is not listening properly. Hippo sees himself as the master of fun. He suggests dressing up, dancing, climbing a tree, sailing on the high seas or perhaps a magic carpet ride will help or a party with cake!

No no no. Billy just wants someone to listen. Finally, Hippo stops all this activity and he notices Billy is sad. He makes two mugs of hot chocolate with extra marshmallows and the pair of friends sit down on the comfy couch and Billy is able to talk. 

Here is an audio interview with Gabriel Evans. This interview is with Good Reading Magazine. Joy Lawn talks to Gabriel for her blog Paperbark Words. You can see more books by Gabriel Evans who lives in Western Australia on his own web page. 

Listen, Hippo is a special book that you could share side by side with your young reading companion. I think that would work better than sharing this book with a big group of children in a library. Then perhaps you might stop and listen to your own child and ask if they have feelings or fears that they need to share. I also suggest making a delicious hot chocolate to sip while you are reading. Oh, and I do hope you love the final page (no spoilers) - it certainly made me smile. 

Companion books:

The Rabbit Listened

Other books by Gabriel Evans - pop each title into my side bar for more details or click his name at the bottom of this post or read this post which I penned after meet Gabriel at Gleebooks here in Sydney.

Meet Gabriel Evans

Image source: State Library of Western Australia

I will be meeting Gabriel Evans (as Bluey would say - in real life!) on Saturday. I am usually quite shy at author/illustrator events (many years ago at the Sydney Writers Festival I really wanted to say thank you to Kate DiCamillo but sadly didn't; I did stammer something to Sophie Blackall at a Gleebooks event but not very coherently) so I hope I have the courage to actually say hello to Gabriel Evans. 

He is coming to Sydney from Perth to share his newest book:

IBBY Australia were so thrilled to have a piece of art from Gabriel for our Mini Masterpiece art auction last year. And this year A friend for George was shortlisted for our Ena Noël award. 

Here is an interview with Oz Lit Teacher. And a video interview from 2022 (11 Minutes). He mentions Isabelle Arsenault. 

Here are some books I have previously talked about:

Blue Flower

A Friend for George

Norton and the Borrow Bear

Count the Stars

You can follow Gabriel Evans on Facebook. That's where I first saw these sweet looking mice stories or perhaps it was on his Instagram page. 

These were written many years ago in 2014/15- I would love to see them. Take a look here. 

Interesting facts about Gabriel that I found on his webpage:

• I love growing oak trees – I’ve planted over fifteen varieties on our hill.
• I love drinking coffee from a Cornishware mug. These mugs have white and blue stripes and often make an appearance in my books.
• I spent several years illustrating before I wrote my first picture book, Ollie and Augustus.
• My books have been published in fifteen countries, shortlisted in several national awards including the CBCA Picture book of the Year, read on ABC’s Play School and reviewed in the New York Times.

I loved the first book in the series by Tor Seidler (A Rat's Tale).

Here are a couple of sweet images from Gabriel Evans - they make me sigh with happiness. Look at his page of thoughts and sketches. And look at his gallery here. 

Image source: Reddit

Count the Stars by Raewyn Caisley illustrated by Gabriel Evans

"At school, Maddie like science but mathematics was easily her favourite subject. Miss Tandy put a star on her work every day, sometime two. They looked like kisses."

This book beautifully demonstrated that maths is everywhere. In music, the brick paves dad is laying for the path, counting the canteen lunch money, cooking with mum, and of course in the stars. But one day Maddie realises something is missing in her life - a friend. 

I'm a huge fan of Gabriel Evans art. I have a Pinterest of picture books that explore maths concepts. There is a perfect amount of show don't tell in this book. When Maddie says there are lots of way to tell the time, if you look carefully, you will spy a sundial, a calendar, dad's watch and even an astrolobe.

After you read this book to your class it could be a good plan to focus on one double spread each week or fortnight. Children in my school library were always fascinated by my watch and my ideas about clocks. I like clocks without numbers - not digital clocks - clocks are usually a circle - yes you can work out the time by just looking at the hands. As a child we had a clock in my kitchen made by my dad - it had no numbers just a nail marker for 12, 6, 9 and 3. I even have a Pinterest of watches and clocks!

This could be a fairly dry book filled with maths concepts, but it is not - the addition of warm family scenes, interesting school lessons especially the one where they make paper snowflakes and most of all the making of a friend who also loves maths and the stars and who offers the promise of a happier future for young Maddie.

The end papers could be used as a poster in your classroom - there are twenty-four definitions of maths concepts to explore. 

Companion reads:

Stars and Poppy Seeds

Count on me

How to count to One

A Friend for George by Gabriel Evans

"Because that's what friends do."

George lives alone in a small blue hut beside the sea. He does have a happy life but deep in his heart he knows something is missing - he would love to have a friend. Near the shore he sees a rock pool and inside he finds a small fish with "golden scales and bright green fins." 

George chats with the little fish even though he does know the fish cannot answer or join the conversation. George shares his best jokes and he decides to call the fish Claude. It is a day of pure happiness:

"George slid and skipped and jumped over the rocks back to his home. That night, George couldn't stop smiling. He'd finally found a friend."

George cannot wait to catch up with his friend the next day but even the youngest children who live near the sea will predict the scene in the morning. The tide has risen and the rock pool is gone. Claude is now out in the ocean. But George wants his new friend. He needs his new friend. So he rushes home and grabs his row boat, oars and one more thing - a large glass fish bowl. George does find the little fish but when he scoops him into the fish bowl it very quickly becomes clear that this is not the right place for Claude. Can these two still be friends? Is there a lesson (albeit a gentle one) that George needs to learn about being a true friend. 

Here is a video where Gabriel talks about his book. You can see inside this book and read some review comments here. 

A Friend for George is a perfect book to read aloud with young children learning to navigate the world. Its message is gently delivered in a package that will be enjoyed by everyone. Kids' Book Review

Blue skies, sandy shores, breaking waves, and the rolling ocean are all brought to life in layered watercolour/gouache illustrations. Reading Time

It opens up the opportunities for discussions about what it is friends do – a phrase repeated often throughout the story – and how we need to learn to be unselfish and put the needs of others before ourselves.  The Bottom Shelf

This story theme reminded me of all those picture books about children who take stars from the sky and then they discover they do need to let them go. Take a look at this previous post where I list some books about children and stars. The idea of a fish in a fish bowl also made me think of this book:

Gabriel Evans often draws his characters - dog and human - with thin bendy legs and jaunty striped jumpers. To my eye this makes them endearing and vulnerable. Take a look at these book covers:

Blue Flower

Norton and the Borrowing Bear

If you look at my sidebar I have talked about SO many books with a friendship theme. As I write this post there are over 560 books with this label. A Friend for George is a wonderful addition to this topic and it is a story that could generate some very meaningful discussions with your own reading companion or with a group of young children. When I was a very young child my most precious and most re-read book was this book. It could be an interesting comparison text:

Blue Flower by Sonya Hartnett illustrated by Gabriel Evans

 

"I wake up in the morning and I don't want to go to school. Other kids like school, or at least don't mind it. But I never want to go to school. At school you're supposed to have lots of friends, 

but I'm shy about making friends."

The only part of the school day she enjoys is her art class once a week. Her honesty is heartbreaking but it so so good that she talks to her mum:

"I can't run fast or make people laugh.'

"Why do you need to run fast?" mum asked.

'Other kids can,' I said.

'Why do you want to make people laugh?'

'Everyone likes laughing,' I said.   ... Mum was making our favourite macaroni and cheese she said

'Being different isn't easy until you decide it's a good thing to be."

Publisher blurb: A young child describes her qualms about going to school and how hard she finds asking the teacher for help, how she feels shy about making friends, not being funny or a fast runner. But through her love of art, a conversation with her mother and her observations about nature she comes to see that being different might not be a bad thing after all.

Blue Flower was published in 2021 but because it was entered for the CBCA Picture Book of the Year I haven't been able to talk about this book until now.  Book Week and the announcement of the CBCA Award winners for 2022 happened last month. As a CBCA judge I had to wait to share these books until the judging was completed. 

This book explores themes of shyness, confidence, optimism, and difference. The line “at lunch I sit where mum would see me if she drove by in the car” is such a small idea but also a powerful one that I think may resonate with some children. 

There will be a lot to discuss after reading this book. The title is sure to make readers curious to know more. Blue is a rare and different colour for flowers just as the little girl is different. This book is filled with such genuine emotions. The way she shares her innermost thoughts has so much honesty and bravery. 

One thing I noticed, reading this book aloud, is the perfect pacing and positioning of the page turns. It was good to see the restrained involvement of the mother. Mum offers wise advice but then leaves the little girl to think through her words and then make her own conclusions. The portrayal of a single parent family is also not given an unnecessary focus. It is just explained in a very natural and ‘matter of fact’ way. I also like the soft colour palette used by the illustrator. 

Here is a video where Sonya Hartnett and Gabriel Evans talk about their book. Sonya explains her personal connection with this story.  Here are some teaching notes from the publisher Penguin.

Here in Australia, by now, most children in Primary schools are sure to have seen this book but I know people from other places in the world read my blog so I do hope you can find Blue Flower in your local library, school or book store. If you can that means this book has travelled beyond our shores - and yes this is a book that should have an international audience. 

This week I have been watching an ABC television program Old People's Home for Teenagers. There are two girls featured in this program who are so similar to the little girl in Blue Flower. I was a little like her too. This post is dedicated to Dora and Anna. 

Here are the judges comments about Blue Flower:

A beautiful book exploring important themes of disliking school, self-love and being proud to be different. The book is filled with genuine emotion and has a strong central character revealed through convincing inner dialogue. Perfect pace and positioning of page turns make this an excellent read aloud. The illustrations offer delicate and nuanced explorations of character and setting; the colour palette is restrained, and colours are used in a symbolic way. This character and situation will resonate with many young readers and the overall message is inspiring. A thought-provoking book which will generate lots of discussions with children.

So, let’s celebrate the things that makes us different and not hide our talents and gifts under doonas and behind closed doors, let’s allow all of our differences to make life more wonderful and a little easier for those of us who struggle with it. Diane's Picture Book Favourites

The story of the Blue Flower is about finding who you are and accepting who you are. Gabriel Evans.

Standing apart from the crowd can be lonely, and fill a child with self-doubt. I wanted to write a story that spoke to these children – the loners, the shy ones, the awkward, the meek –and recognise the bravery with which they face each day. Sonya Hartnett

Gabriel Evans’ emotionally charged illustrations that capture the complex inner life of a child learning to celebrate everything that makes her unique. The Sydney Morning Herald

In a previous post I talked about companion reads for each of the Picture Book short listed titles. 

Norton and the Borrowing Bear by Gabriel Evans

Wouldn’t it be fun to have a friend living right next door to you?  Well, as Norton discovers, it can certainly pose some challenges when that friend wants to borrow all of your favourite things. This is a story about setting limits and learning to accept your friends, flaws and all. Simon and Schuster

Norton, who lives at number 42 has a new neighbour - a bear. If you look closely at the title page you can see bear looking in the window of a real estate agent.

Each day bear borrows something - fluffy slippers; the teapot and teacup; Norton's yellow jumper (it is surely way too small); his yoga mat; and finally Norton's comfy chair. You can see some of these things on the cover. When you look at the end papers all of Norton's things are carefully set out but at the back there are way too many gaps. 

"Bear! Stop borrowing my things! You can't just take things and not return them. It's rude! It's Inconsiderate! It's not what friends do!"

It's probably an only child 'thing' but I am not very good at lending things - except of course library books! So, I totally sympathise with poor Norton who feels utterly bereft as each of his precious things are taken away and not returned (especially those fluffy slippers). 

This book feels like a prequel to Norton and the Bear from the 2021 CBCA short list. Borrowing Norton’s jumper foreshadows future events when bear copies Norton’s fashion style in this previous instalment. 

There is a lot to talk about here, beginning with why Norton has a name and the bear does not. He doesn't even have a capital "B" for bear. The emotional content of this story is very strong and I am sure many young readers will relate to the feelings of loss when borrowed things are not returned. Even with his voluminous beard it is clear that Norton is fretting when we see him sitting up in bed worrying about his slippers.  

Having bear borrow very personal items such as the slippers and his cup and teapot add to the fun but also to the sense of loss and indignation Norton must be feeling. This also leads perfectly to the most important thing of all – finding a true friend. This message is clear without being heaving handed. The street scenes have a great sense of movement and crowding alongside the feeling of isolation as everyone walks alone focused on their personal destinations. The little assorted human and animal characters, with their quirky array of human clothing adds to the visual interest. Just like Gariel Evans, Australia illustrator Gus Gordon is also a master of this form.

I like the way the font changes colour to show the speaker - tan for bear and red for Norton. 

You might like to check out my Pinterest of books with Unlikely Friends.  This topic could make a terrific mini theme. And of course you will want to explore this quote from Shakespeare - Neither a borrower nor a lender be.