Keeping Up With Cheetah

by Lindsay Camp

Cheetah appreciates his friendship with Hippopotamus more when he learns there are more important qualities in a friend than being able to run fast

Genres: Picture Books, Friendship, Animals

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1993

Reviews

[Edward Sojuwa]

Hippo and Cheetah are best buds in the African veldt, mostly because Cheetah can make hippo laugh. But Cheetah gets judgmental and in a race, outpaces Hippo by a furlong. Cheetah then mocks Hippo, claiming that the only way to hear Cheetah's latest joke is if Hippo actually wins. So off they go on separate tracks to hang with different jungle animals, both missing what the other brought to their friendship.
Which reminds me: in my own life I had to break free from a beloved best friend named Maureen, who was nothing but a strong supporter for who I am. And then she tried to get me into supporting as president guess who? Helpful hint: "I think Trump has a good heart."
Which is why I now miss her. Very badly.
Three stars
Unwelcome in that jungle (me)

[Jon Nakapalau]

Cheetah likes telling jokes - hippo likes laughing - cheetah insists that hippo run as fast as he can while he tells jokes. Hippo tries very hard to run alongside cheetah; but it is impossible to run that fast for him. This is a wonderful story about accepting our friends as they are, looking past what we want them to be, and just enjoying their company.

[Ro Menendez]

A look at how friendship isn’t necessarily what we have in common but how we complement each other.

[Lu]

The story was really stupid but it was good practice for my Turkish reading skills.

[CLesp]

I picked this up from the local library in the multi language section. I wanted to read it to my baby although she's much young. It's hard to find books in my native and English so that was a bonus.

[Eva-Marie Nevarez]

Althought Cheetah and Hippo are friends they aren't best friends. Cheetah can't come to terms with the fact that Hippo just can't keep up with him. He loves that Hippo always laughs at his jokes but he longs to run with someone who can keep up with him.
While Cheetah goes off to find a faster friend Hippo practices and practices until he realize it's just not realistic and it isn't going to happen. Hippo's aren't made for fast running. They are made for wallowing in the cool mud though and Hippo takes advantage of this right away.
Cheetah, while trying out new friend after new friend, come to realize that none of them compare to Hippo and he goes back with a brand new joke for Hippo.
Cute lesson, the illustrations are fun, Julia was into it the entire time and I had fun reading it to her.