Hide and Seek Harry at the Playground

February 9, 2015
Harrison continues his Hide and Seek Harry series, which asks children to spot the large, gray hippo, this time at a grassy playground. “Is he by the seesaw, lying low?/ Is he on the swing set? Where did he go?” asks Harrison, while his softly textured digital illustrations answer those questions with an emphatic “Yes!” Harry covers his eyes while tucked under the seesaw, straining for invisibility, and he’s even more exposed as he clings precariously to the top of the swing set. No, Harry isn’t hard to find, but that’s not the point—the innate absurdity of his hiding spots provides all the laughs readers will need. Simultaneously available: Hide and Seek Harry on the Farm. Ages 2–5. Agent: Kelly Sonnack, Andrea Brown Literary Agency.

Harry the hippo plays hide-and-seek. It's a bright and sunny day, and the local kids are playing on the playground. It's Harry's turn to hide, but it's pretty easy to spot a hippopotamus no matter how well he hides. Little ones will delight at the odd places Harry chooses to conceal himself, and parents will be equally entertained. Harry's a typical child, clearly believing that closing his eyes makes him invisible, even when he hangs in plain view from the top bar of a swing set. Harrison's warm, round illustrations make for an excellent introduction to the "spot the item" genre, and pleasingly, there's almost no way children will find themselves frustrated by the challenge. A similar title, Hide and Seek Harry on the Farm, publishes simultaneously. A brightly lit "find it" game that focuses more on laughs than skill. (Board book. 2-3)

July 1, 2015
Harry the hippo plays hide-and-seek. It's a bright and sunny day, and the local kids are playing on the playground. It's Harry's turn to hide, but it's pretty easy to spot a hippopotamus no matter how well he hides. Little ones will delight at the odd places Harry chooses to conceal himself, and parents will be equally entertained. Harry's a typical child, clearly believing that closing his eyes makes him invisible, even when he hangs in plain view from the top bar of a swing set. Harrison's warm, round illustrations make for an excellent introduction to the "spot the item" genre, and pleasingly, there's almost no way children will find themselves frustrated by the challenge. A similar title, Hide and Seek Harry on the Farm, publishes simultaneously. A brightly lit "find it" game that focuses more on laughs than skill. (Board book. 2-3)

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