One Red Sock

PreS-K--A purple hippo puts on a red sock, but has difficulty finding a matching one in this amusing picture book. After realizing the red sock is missing, the hippo searches her sock drawer, finding several other socks of different colors, but none of them match hers. Finally, she pulls out a polka dot sock, and determines that the mismatched pair matches the state of her messy room, and happily wears the two together. The final page reveals that the second red sock had been there all along, mixed in with other clothes sloppily gathered on a chair. Sattler uses playful, bouncy rhymes and a cute, endearing hippo to teach young readers about color in a fun, lighthearted way. The illustrations are bright, bold, and colorful and each new color is introduced with large block letters and a two page-spread, making this title particularly appealing for group-sharing. The hippo's decision to happily wear the mismatched socks is humorous, as is the reveal that, unbeknownst to the hippo, the missing sock had been there all along. VERDICT With eye-catching colors, sprightly rhymes, and a peppy protagonist, this title makes a charming addition to color-themed concept books. Recommended.--Laura J. Giunta, Garden City Public Library, NY