The Hippo at the End of the Hall

What a wonderful magical, mysterious adventure. Ben, our main character, receives an invitation to The Gee Museum, which has been delivered to him by some bees! It arrives with the milk early one morning. Ben opens the envelope and his magical adventure begins. Even though his mom doesn't want him to accept the invitation, for the first time in his life he disobeys her and takes up the challenge of 'come now or come never!', which is clearly printed on the bottom of the invitation. As Ben enters the museum he feels strongly drawn towards the hippo that graces the front cover of this wonderful book. As the animals place their trust in him, he soon discovers the museum is threatened with closure. Ben is then caught up in a story of odd tales, witches, magical animals and family secrets as he fights to save the museum. This charming story has been illustrated with enchanting pencil drawings by the author. They give a light and bewitching glimpse into the world of the Gee Museum and help bring the story vividly to life. The Hippo at the End of the Hall is a mix of folk tales, myth and travel and has a curious quality to it that makes it wonderfully original. I love a good museum and after reading this wonderful story I will go into the Natural History Museum in London with different thoughts in my head as I go around the animal exhibits and curiosities and wonder what stories they have to tell. The book has short chapters which are suitable for 9+ readers and the occasional adult! This would also be a wonderful book to read aloud to a younger audience and I also believe to be suitable for an older struggling reader. Recommended! 340 pages / Ages 9+ / Reviewed by Linda Brown, school librarian.

Suggested Reading Age 9+