The Hippopotamus Thesaurus: A Hefty Menagerie of Delectable Words, Volume 1

by Samuel Jennings Vinson, Samuel Jennings Vinson (Illustrator)

Overview

The Hippopotamus Thesaurus is a collection of poems and illustrations that explore the extraordinary lesser-used words of the English language. At 102 pages, with over 100 hand-drawn, watercolor illustrations, this book is a labor of love aligned to one goal: to foster the curiosity and brilliance of young minds.

Through storytelling, prose, and humor, each poem gives a unique look into the meaning of each word, while providing context and usage. A hidden narrative of riddles and clues is also woven throughout the pages to encourage readers to explore the deeper meaning of the concepts and words.

Inspired by the classics of Silverstein, Dahl, Prelutsky and others, this book is unlike many you will find on the shelves for young readers.

This book is an exploration and adventure that readers can keep returning to and always find something new.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798990702448
Publisher:	R & Stone House Publishing
Publication date:	08/21/2024
Pages:	104
Sales rank:	742,276
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.44(d)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Samuel Jennings Vinson is a life-long explorer of all things creative. Whether it be in visual arts through his work in pediatric healthcare design, fine art curation or writing and doodling, the one constant is his drive to positively contribute to the world of young minds.

“We can’t just write for kids. We owe it to them to write to the person they will become.”

Editorial Reviews

2024-08-01
Funny words in the English language come to life in Vinson’s illustrated collection of poems.

Each poem in the collection is a highly imaginative rhyming embodiment of a peculiar (and often downright funny) word, with poems titled “Pottle,” “Quixotic,” “Hullabaloo,” and “Flibbertigibbet” (and yes, that is an actual word). A full glossary at the end defines each word, in addition to some trickier words found throughout the book. The fun is in reading the poem for a sense of what the title word means before checking the glossary for the accuracy of your interpretation. In “Bibliopole,” the speaker lists his most prized books (“Beowulf, Iliad, Anna Karenina, Dickens and Poe, / The Great Gatsby, Don Quixote, even Thoreau. // Be careful, don’t touch, these are exceedingly rare, / the pages are old so they could easily tear”), and the page includes an illustration of a proud Santa-like man in his library apron holding his precious books. “Quomodocunquize” is accompanied by an illustration of a young woman with blond hair wearing a business suit and tending her lemonade stand: “I must be clear, everything here has a price, / no freebies here, not even the ice. // The lemonade is a quarter, / the cup is a dime, / I also charge for the straw, / and that isn’t a crime.” Vinson’s illustrations are whimsical line drawings with muted watercolors, usually adding a little extra heft to the poems. For example, “Interrobang” is illustrated with a big-nosed question mark colliding with a mustachioed exclamation mark. The poetry is exquisite, the rhyming and meter feels just right, and the vocabulary has an invigorating, no-holds-barred feel to it. The book offers a rare and wondrous opportunity, mainly because there’s something practical at stake: uncovering the meaning of the title word. Even younger readers will likely delight in the musical rhythm, imagery, and silliness of the poems, at least until they’re old enough to engage with the vocabulary.

An enchanting way to nurture fascination with and a love of words and poetry.

Kirkus Reviews

Vinson's book is fun, clever, and fascinating to read ... It's a delightful way for anyone not only children, to learn new words ... [This] book is 'bodacious'. I recommend this book to those who are just learning to read, their parents, and grandparents, and elementary, middle school, and high school teachers.

Reader's Favorite - Joe Wisinski

Samuel Jennings Vinson is a master virtuoso in his bodacious new book The Hippopotamus Thesaurus: A Hefty Menagerie of Delectable Words, Volume 1. Though some words may seem cryptic, they are delightfully brought to life through his rambunctious artwork and poetry. This book would be a wonderful addition to any teachers' classroom collection (PS, if any of the words bumfuzzle you, check out the glossary of Vinson's book. You'll be sure to find the meanings there!).

Educator, Plainfield School District 202 - Kelly Hatzer

Thorough entertainment and education ... A mixture of Seussical and Carle vibes ... I would highly recommend to anyone with a younger child that is interested in expanding their vocabulary in a fun way!

Likely Story - Alex Norton

As an educator of 22 years in an elementary public school, I have found The Hippopotamus Thesaurus to be a useful, challenging, and entertaining tool in the classroom... What a fun way to grab the attention, and pique the interest of, readers... don't overlook this book as a fun stimulating read aloud for children of all ages.

Educator, Plainfield School District 202 - Cheryl Czyzewicz

Unexpected and amazing words are presented in a way which will have readers smiling and likely to embrace and remember more than a few long after the book's been put down... A celebration of fun words to enjoy by thumbing and flipping through the pages at will...The poems play with the words and let readers sink their teeth into each one...A lovely collection with tons of humor, poetry, and fun.

Bookworm for Kids - Tonja Drecker