The Healing Hippo of Hinode Park

Nestling at the bottom of a five-storey apartment block is the children's playground, Hinode Park. If you look to the side, standing on stubby legs, is a hippo. Its upturned eyes give it a teary look while its drab paint peels away, yet for decades, its quiet power has sustained the hearts of one community. A quietly powerful story of hope and friendship, Aoyama's beloved bestseller is a celebration of reaching out and leaning in.