The Blushful Hippopotamus

Though Roosevelt the hippopotamus's sister teases him because he blushes a lot, his best friend helps him feel better about himself.

Though Roosevelt the hippopotamus's sister teases him because he blushes a lot, his best friend helps him feel better about himself.

For Chris Raschka, the first step in his creative process is thinking about his audience - a single imaginary child who is a blend of myself, the students in my wife''s classroom - and the students from two classrooms I visit regularly." Raschka, a Caldecott Medalist for The Hello, Goodbye Window and a Caldecott Honoree for Yo! Yes?, draws from any number of images or events - a poem, personal experience, or childhood recollection. He then pulls these ideas into book form. Once the story''s complete, he shows it to his audience to gauge their reaction. "And then I may make some changes," he concedes. Raschka lives with his wife and son in New York City. For more information about Chris Raschka, visit: scholastic.com/tradebooks