How to Clean a Hippopotamus

Teach children about symbiosis - how two unusually paired creatures work together to benefit each other (mutualism).

Jenkins, Steve and Robin Page.
How to Clean a Hippopotamus: A Look at Unusual Animal Partnerships.
May 2010.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Steve Jenkins and Robin page have a hit with How to Clean a Hippopotamus: A Look at Unusual Animal Partnerships! They tag-team together to teach children all about symbiosis and the various ways in which unusual animals team up to benefit from each other! From the pairing of the hippopotamus and the African helmeted turtle to the pairing of dogs and humans, it seems as though pretty much every aspect of symbiosis is covered!

The book is perfect for readers of all ages, as you can pick and choose which animal relationships you wish to explore or you can read the book in its entirety. The relationships are explained in enough detail that the benefits for each contributing partner are easy to understand, yet the text is presented in a way that is simple to understand! There's something for all to enjoy in this scientifically informative pick!

Learning/Reading Activities:

• After reading, have your child choose one of the animal pairs mentioned in the book and illustrate the relationship between the two. Then ask him/her to write a brief paragraph describing the way in which the two benefit each other. A worksheet with directions can be downloaded here.
• Further explore the relationship of the honeyguide and the honey badger in Jan Brett's Honey... Honey... LION!
• You can also check out these other books on the topic of symbiosis:
  * Weird Friends: Unlikely Allies in the Animal Kingdom
  * Nature's Amazing Partners
  * Big Friend, Little Friend: A Book about Symbiosis
  

If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com. I am an Amazon Affiliate, so any purchases you make after clicking these images will result in my receiving a small percentage of the sale price!