The Secret Rhino Society

Book excerpt: “This engaging romp will be a great way to initiate conversations about diversity, tolerance, and acceptance.”—Booklist (starred review) In the spirit of favorites like Stick & Stone and Spoon this warmhearted and hilarious picture book tells the story of a highly unusual group of friends and is stunningly illustrated by Samantha Cotterill. Meet Hudson, a hippo. Fran, an earthworm. And Jean, a lightbulb. They have one thing in common: a profound appreciation for rhinos. So, they form a Secret Rhino Appreciation Society, in which a key activity it wearing paper horns. (Sometimes this results in a fire. That’s what happens when a lightbulb wears a paper horn.) But when they meet their first real, live rhino and ask her to do rhino-y things, she doesn’t want to charge or snort—she’s a gardener! She is not what the society expected, but can they learn to appreciate her for who she is? This funny, character-driven story explores themes of friendship, expectations, and prejudice.