What a Hippopota-Mess!

Sylvia Pantaleo is an associate professor of education at the University
of Victoria. She is the co-author of Learning with Literature in the
Canadian Elementary Classroom.

The six poems in this picture book are about hippopotami; creepy crawly
critters; a lizard, a frog, and an otter; a tree; a moose; and
dandelions. Five different rhyming schemes are used in the selections:
AAAB, ABAB, AABB, ABCB, and rhyming couplets. Most of the poems tell a
story, some are fantastical in nature with creatures being
anthropomorphized, and some include factual information. Following each
poem is either an interview with one of the characters from the
selection or a question-and-answer format that provides further
information on the topic of the poem (e.g., trees and dande-lions).

Throughout the book are black-and-white illustrations that vary in
size; many include amusing aspects that extend the text. However, at
times the rhymes seem forced and lack sophistication. No references are
provided at the end of the book to identify the sources from which the
facts have been drawn from or verified. Not a first-choice purchase.