Harry the Hypno-potamus: Metaphorical Tales for the Treatment of Children

by Linda Thomson

Return to Master Book Reviews Table of Contents

Norwalk, CT: Crown House 2005.
172 pp 8x11" 3 pp refs (found on p. 18-20) $44.95

This is a lovely collection of stories to suggest positive attitudes and solutions to children's problems. Winsome colored illustrations of various animals who are helped by story-line doctors - who are invited to assist when the animals are in distress - add to the charm of this helpful book.

Here is a sample story:

Elephant

Elkins was an African elephant who lived at the Ashland Zoo. Unlike his Asian cousins, Elkins had very big ears. They were shaped like the map of Africa. Everything about Elkins was big. When he was full-grown, he could weigh as much as four tons

Elkins's trunk was very special. He used it to pick up food, drink water, and breathe. He could suck up water with his trunk, and then squirt it into his mouth. His favorite thing was to take a dirt bath. Elkins would pick up the dirt with his trunk, then blow it all over his back. With his very clever trunk, Elkins could break off a branch of a tree, or pick up something as small as a peanut.

Elkins had six sets of teeth, called "molars," on the top, and six sets of molars on the bottom. When one set of Elkins's molars was worn down by chewing on tough branches, another set of teeth moved forward, pushing out the old, worn-down ones. When elephants have used up all six sets of teeth, they will no longer be able to eat and grind up food, and they will die.

Elkins knew how important it was to take good care of his teeth, but he hated going to the dentist. He got so nervous that he shook all over, and couldn't hold still so the dentist could work on his teeth. Finally, he went to see Dr. Kay, the zoo's dentist. Dr. Kay was very nice and very gentle. She told Elkins a story about her friend, John, who liked to row out into the middle of the lake.

"It was so peaceful there," said Dr. Kay. "John could feel the gentle rocking of the boat, making him feel even more comfortable and relaxed."

"I heard a story about a movie that was being made on a lake in Mt. Dora, Florida," Elkins said. "They painted everything in the town pink for the movie, and they taught an elephant how to water ski. I'm not sure that I would like to water ski, but I think I would like being out in a boat. I can imagine what it would be like, floating and rocking in a b oat. It makes me feel good, like when my mother used to rock me with her trunk when I was little."

Elkins got nice and comfortable as Dr. Kay continued her story about her friend, John.

"John liked to imagine the world of the fish, and what it was like to live underwater, and all the things he could see there. He was having fun imagining, when something bumped into his boat. He could see that it was a very big fish. The fish was tangled in fish line, and a fishhook was caught in his mouth. John reached over to catch the fish so that he could help him. He tried to get the fishhook out of the fish's mouth, but the fish was wiggling and squirming too much.

"John was having a very difficult time. All he wanted to do was to help the fish. Suddenly, the fish looked up into John's eyes, and saw the kindness there, and became very still and calm. That's right, very still and calm. John was able to easily take the hook out of the fish's mouth, and gently put the fish back into the water. As the fish swam away, he waved his tail to say "thank-you.' John smiled and returned to the underwater world of his imagination."

Elkins smiled. "I like that story," he said.

Elkins also liked Dr. Kay. While Dr. Kay cleaned and polished Elkins's teeth, the elephant opened his mouth very wide. Elkins imagined that he was holding a fishing pole with his trunk, in a boat on the lake, as the boat rocked gently back and forth. Then, he imagined following a fish underwater. Using his trunk as a snorkel, Elkins could stay underwater for a very long time. He didn't even hear Dr. Kay say that she was all done. He was having too much fun fishing in his imagination. (p. 61-63)

Return to Master Book Reviews Table of Contents