George and Martha back in town

The full weight of a meaningful friendship is once again explored through a series of stories about everyone's favorite hefty hippos. Ages 4-8. (March) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Further episodes--some characteristically sly, each one engaging--in the delicately balanced friendship of portly hippos George and Martha. In ""The Box,"" Martha succumbs to temptation--and George doesn't blow her cover. (""'You don't think I opened that little box?' said Martha. 'Of course not,' said George."") ""The High Board"" finds George quaking--and Martha covering (with a splash) for him. ""The Trick"" he plays on her then prompts her to do him one better--with, however, a ruse that echoes the first story's box full of jumping beans. The cleverest turnabout comes in ""The Job"": swimmer Martha warns lifeguard George to be ""very strict,"" to allow ""no horsing around""--and then blows up when he's strict with her. (""Martha was right--this is a hard job?') Tops for gentle give-and-take is ""The Book""--where George, fleeing Martha's interruptions, reads that ""Sometimes we are thoughtless without even knowing it."" He goes to find her; she disarmingly apologizes;they both confess their loneliness. The magic, as always, is the economy of means. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.