Families who loved How to Clean a Hippopotamus by Steve Jenkins often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.

Reach for this book when your child is starting to navigate social groups or struggling to see why people with different personalities or backgrounds might need each other. While on the surface it is a biology book about symbiosis, it serves as a beautiful metaphor for how diverse individuals can form meaningful, mutually beneficial partnerships. It is a perfect choice for parents who want to foster a sense of community and the idea that everyone has something valuable to offer. Using stunning cut-paper illustrations, the book explores how animals as different as alligators and birds or hippos and turtles work together to survive. It presents complex scientific concepts through the lens of cooperation and kindness. Best suited for children ages 4 to 9, it invites readers to look beyond appearances and appreciate the hidden connections in the world around them.