Twirl, Hippo, Twirl
Twirl, Hippo, Twirl
by ReadRead · 5 min readHattie is big and round, and she wobbles. A warm ballet story about trying, falling down, and finding your own way to twirl.
Part of Family Shelf
Website price: $9.99 a month or $59.99 a year, 7 days free. Every book, for every child.
About Family ShelfYou can also subscribe on iPhone or iPad. Confirm the App Store price shown in the app; it may vary by region.Inside the book
On a little stage in the park, Miss Flora the flamingo teaches ballet to Hattie the hippo and three little mice. Tonight is the big show. Miss Flora twirls on one long leg, and the mice twirl like spinning tops. But when Hattie goes up on one toe, she wobbles, and bump! Down she goes. Little Min the mouse has a secret: she wobbles too, so she twirls her own way.
The new words in this book
To spin round and round, like a dancer. It comes up 8 times, and every time a paper dancer spins right round on the stage.
To rock from side to side, almost falling. It comes up 8 times: Hattie wobbles on one toe, Min wobbles, and even Miss Flora wobbles on her one pink leg.
The two words go together: first you wobble, then you twirl. Every page shows one or the other, and the game page shows both. A refrain comes back (“Around and around she goes!”) so a child can join in. Every other word is a common word, like stage, leg, toe, mice and show.
Questions to ask while you read
Pause after each spread and ask one question. There are no right answers; the point is to get your child talking.
- 1Who is on the little stage? What is going to happen tonight?
- 2How does Miss Flora twirl? Can you twirl like the mice?
- 3Why does Hattie wobble? What happens next?
- 4How does Hattie feel? What would you say to her?
- 5What is Min’s secret?
- 6How does Hattie twirl her own way? Can you try it?
- 7Miss Flora wobbles too! Does everyone wobble sometimes?
- 8Who comes to watch the show?
- 9Tap each dancer: what do they do first, and then?
- 10What is something you do in your own way?
How hard is this book?
About 300 words, longer sentences, more different words.
- Dialogue × 9“My own way?” says Hattie.
- Questions × 1“My own way?” says Hattie.
- Commands × 2Tap each dancer to make them wobble and twirl.
- Not / no × 2“I can not twirl,” says Hattie. “I am too big.”
All 116 words, most used first
and 15 · the 14 · around 8 · big 8 · she 8 · wobble 8 · i 7 · a 6 · goes 6 · her 6 · is 6 · little 6 · to 6 · on 5 · can 4 · it 4 · mice 4 · own 4 · says 4 · too 4 · up 4 · way 4 · dance 3 · down 3 · hattie's 3 · now 3 · one 3 · show 3 · stage 3 · then 3 · as 2 · bravo 2 · by 2 · come 2 · dances 2 · everyone 2 · help 2 · here 2 · in 2 · leg 2 · like 2 · look 2 · lovely 2 · my 2 · not 2 · park 2 · pink 2 · red 2 · round 2 · tap 2 · turn 2 · watch 2 · with 2 · you 2 · all · am · are · arms · both · bump · but · claps · class · comes · curtain · curtains · dancer · did · each · feather · feet · find · first · flamingo · flat · flower · friends · go · happy · herself · hippo · holds · light · lights · long · make · me · mouse · out · puts · run · sit · sits · slow · so · spinning · stand · stands · starts · sun · teaches · that · them · they · three · tip · toe · together · tonight · tops · twirls · was · what · wide · wings · your
Names don’t count: the picture shows who it is.
Tips for parents
- First time: use Read to me and let your child just listen and watch.
- Act the words out together: wobble on one foot, then twirl slowly on two flat feet like Hattie.
- On page four, stop and ask “How can Hattie dance?” before you turn the page.
- On the game page, let your child say the words as the dancers move: “Wobble… twirl!”