Content levels
Trigger warnings
Protagonist archetypes
Synopsis
The enchanting new novel by the multimillion-copy bestselling author of What You Are Looking For Is in the Library, about five strangers who each seek comfort from a healing hippo ride. Nestled at the bottom of a five-story apartment block in the community of Advance Hill is the children's playground in Hinode Park. If you look to the side, standing on stubby legs, is a hippo. Its upturned eyes give it a teary look, yet for decades, its quiet power has sustained the hearts of one community. According to urban legend, if you touch the exact part of the hippo where you have an ailment or wound, you will see swift signs of recovery. Meet the apartment residents who each find their way to Kabahiko: Kanato, who hopes in vain to recover the stellar marks he once scored; Sawa, a new mother with no friends, wishes to be able to communicate as she once did when she was an award-winning retail assistant; Chiharu, off work as a wedding-planner, longs to listen better for the happiness of others; Yuya avoids sports day with a fake injury, only to find he really is in pain; Kazuhiko, despite his fading eyes, seeks to see life's everyday wonder. A quietly powerful story of hope, friendship and connection, Michiko Aoyama's beloved bestseller is a celebration of everyday encounters. Its subtle portrayal of the magic of community will lodge itself in every reader's heart as the eclectic cast of characters find healing in their lives—though they may not always find it in the ways they expect.
Is The Healing Hippo of Hinode Park: A Novel – A Heartwarming Japanese Literature and Contemporary Fiction Story of Community appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 13 and up.
A gentle, uplifting story about community and healing with no mature content. Characters face everyday struggles like loneliness, parenting challenges, and loss of confidence, resolved through connection and subtle magic.
What to know going in
This book has no graphic violence, no sexual content, and clean language. Content notes include grief, anxiety, and depression (see the full list above).
Publisher ages reflect reading level; our rating reflects content maturity — they can differ.
Who'll love this
Teens will appreciate this quiet story about how ordinary people help each other through difficult times with the help of a magical hippo statue.