School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-Henry Hyena is anxious. He normally loves a good belly laugh when something goes wrong, but now he's just not finding the mishaps of others to be funny. His friends can't get him to play or even to tease the other animals in the zoo. It's time to visit the wise old giraffe who tends to all the creatures. "Dr. Long," he worries, "my giggle is gone." Happily, Dr. Long diagnoses a case of empathy-"It's not that you're sick, and you're far from a fool," he explains. "You've just learned that laughing at others is cruel." Parents and teachers will appreciate the lesson imparted by this book's jaunty rhyming text, and children will relate to the animals whose pratfalls are made fun of by Henry's friends. There's plenty of humor here, too; readers will giggle at the computer-generated, colorful images of animals having a bad day. VERDICT Great for classrooms where teasing is an issue, and for readers who like a bit of animal absurdity.-Etta Verma, Library Journal © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Henry, a cute hyena with a crop of spiky hair, wonders what's wrong when he lacks the urge to laugh alongside his fellow zoo hyenas: "He didn't join in while they teased a few bears./ He chose not to help when they chased several hares." When Henry seeks advice from Dr. Long, the giraffe explains that Henry has simply realized that "laughing at others is cruel." Claude creates a lively zoo atmosphere, full of animals that strum guitars, vacuum, and play musical chairs. Yet the message about kindness lands heavily, and the idea that laughter needn't be attached to meanness is glossed over. Ages 4-7. (July) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
