A Hippo in Our Yard

When Sally informs her mom that there is a hippo in the yard, Sally’s mother is dismissive. “I don’t think so, dear,” she tells her daughter, barely looking up from her lunch. “I will give it some lettuce,” Sally says, grabbing a leaf from her mom’s bowl. Hippo is happy, but now the tiger in the tree is hungry. Sally's father is also disbelieving, so Sally just feeds the big cat some tuna. As with her parents, Sally’s sister is unmoved by her tale of zebras in the garage, and even Nana refuses to set her knitting aside when Sally tells her about bears in the hammock. Meanwhile, the phone rings, and the family is in for a shock. Zoo animals are on the loose! A frantic search finds Sally atop a hippo in their yard, along with several other satisfied animal friends.

Liza Donnelly has written many books for children, including The End of the Rainbow, an I Like to ReadR book. She is a cartoonist for The New Yorker and was one of three finalists for the 2014 Thurber Prize for American Humor. Liza lives in Rhinebeck, New York.