This feast of storytelling, vocabulary, poetry, and prose allows children ages 6 and up to embark on a fantastic adventure through whimsical contextual definitions of extraordinary words. Unlike other children’s vocabulary books, The Hippopotamus Thesaurus is presented with the implicit trust that children have the ability to not only understand, but thoroughly enjoy complex language and ideas. 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. Volume 1 of The Hippopotamus Thesaurus encourages children to dig into the richness of the English language while being impossibly fun to read, and impossible to explore without learning. Hidden riddles, an in-depth glossary, and loveable watercolor characters are all part of the first installment of The Hippopotamus Thesaurus, ready to be enjoyed down to the last morsel by early readers, parents, and educators alike. Furthermore, a full glossary at the back of the book provides an opportunity for readers to deepen their understanding by learning the dictionary definitions, classifications and etymologies of the featured words. This additional resource encourages curiosity and fosters a love of language exploration. With educational application in mind, the author has also provided an accompanying Educator’s Resource that can be found online with small modules that can be easily woven into any K-12 curriculum. Embark on an enchanting journey filled with delightful tales that spark the imagination. Let your mind wander through playful words, whimsical tales, and hidden riddles, all waiting to be discovered. Explore the wonders of language in a most delightful way, where words come to life in the most unexpected manner. Join us in this literary adventure! "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... 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, fascinating to read, and definitely different. It's a delightful way for anyone, not only children, to learn new words. Vinson chose words that are entertaining to read, especially out loud. The rhyming that Vinson often used in defining the words adds additional pleasure, as do his illustrations, which complement the words well... [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." -Joe Wisinski for Reader's Favorite (5 Star Review) "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!)" - K.Hatzer, Lifetime K-12 Educator "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 "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. This collection of delightful poems introduces Bumfuzzle a mysterious creature in search of colorful words, knowledge of words, and the guidance of a teacher to aide his understanding and help to expand his mind. 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. Choose some of your favorites and the conversations that abound are sure to engage students minds." - C. Czyzewicz, Lifetime K-12 Educator