Kid Konnection: Duck and Hippo Give Thanks

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week I'm going to share with you a picture book that celebrates Thanksgiving!

Summary: It’s the day before Thanksgiving, and Hippo has his heart set on having a good old-fashioned feast with Duck and their friends. Together, Duck and Hippo go shopping for food and invite Turtle, Elephant, and Pig to share the special day with them. Then they get everything ready. But while Hippo goes to bed dreaming of his good old-fashioned Thanksgiving, Duck is busy making her own plans. There’s going to be a BIG surprise—one that will remind Hippo of all he has to be thankful for. Join Duck and Hippo for a memorable celebration! -- Two Lions

DUCK AND HIPPO GIVE THANKS by Jonathan London and illustrated by Andrew Joyner is really the perfect way to get in the mood for Thanksgiving! This adorable picture book about two unlikely friends, Duck and Hippo, celebrates the excitement surrounding the Thanksgiving holiday while also celebrating the true meaning of friendship.

Duck and Hippo decide to throw a traditional Thanksgiving with all of their friends. These two friends couldn't be more different (think the Odd Couple) with Duck's happy-go-lucky attitude and Hippo's more serious tone. Duck and Hippo work mightily hard to plan for their Thanksgiving dinner including a hilarious trip to the grocery store.

Hippo has everything ready to go -- the old-fashioned apple pie, the old-fashioned pumpkin pie, the old-fashioned acorn squash, and even table decorations. Everything looks perfect and Hippo is so excited; however, none of his friends show up! When they finally arrive, Hippo is shocked to find that they were late because they had a surprise planned for him... except that Hippo wasn't so sure that he appreciated their surprise. That is until he saw his friends' smiling faces and realized the true meaning of friendship!

I love Duck and Hippo! These two friends couldn't be more different, but they both have huge hearts and are great to each other. DUCK AND HIPPO GIVE THANKS recognizes their differences, while also showing children that people don't have to be the same to be good friends. In addition, I appreciated that the book celebrates Thanksgiving, both in the traditional way and the "Friendsgiving" way.

To get a better idea of these adorable characters and DUCK AND HIPPO GIVE THANKS, check out this book trailer:
If you want even more Duck and Hippo, check out the free downloadable activity pages.

Thanks to Blue Slip Media for providing a review copy of this picture book.

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!