Dedicated to Kid the Elder...

For my KT, because you will always be my first baby girl. Even though you are grown now! This is called "Eat Your Veggies, Hermione Hippo!" because you are never too old to need your veggies =)


Hermione Hippo loved to eat sweets. Breakfast was her favorite. In the mornings, she loved to have a big stack of pancakes or waffles, smothered in butter and syrup. Or some oatmeal with apples and raisins and brown sugar, topped off with some cream. Or a big bowl of Chocolatey Crunch cereal, with a big spoonful of sugar on the top.

For lunch, Hermione liked nothing better than peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, with EXTRA EXTRA JELLY! Or maybe a honey and banana sandwich. Or to dip some fruit in some berry berry yogurt. With, of course, some double-chocolate milk and cookies for dessert!

For dinner Hermione loved to have breakfast again. But when her mother said "NO!" she would have some chicken nuggets dipped in honey, and some french fries dipped in ketchup. She would wash it down with a big glass of apple juice, and have cake for dessert.

The problem was that Hermione's mother didn't let her have pancakes, and peanut butter and jelly, and chicken nuggets with honey, every day. She didn't even bake a cake for dessert every day! And even though there was always ice cream in the freezer, Mother said this was just for "special occasions". HMPH!

And almost every night, Hermione's mother would make something icky and green to go with their dinner. "Hermione, eat your broccoli," her mother would say. "Hermione, eat your peas," her mother would say. "Hermione, eat your beans, spinach, salad, cabbage, collards, peppers, cucumbers and kale," her mother would say. Hermione really didn't like anything GREEN!

One day, Hermione's mother told her she would go to stay with her Grandmother for the weekend. Hermione was so excited! Hermione thought to herself, "Grandma always makes me what I like to eat. I will have such a good time visiting Grandma!".

So on Friday, Hermione packed her bag and went to her Grandmother's house. When she arrived, it was time for supper. "What would you like to have tonight, my dear?" Hermione's Grandmother asked.

"I would like a big stack of pancakes, with extra butter and super-extra-double syrup on them, please!" Hermione said.

"Don't you think we should have some green vegetables with our supper?" asked Grandma. "You know, a growing girl should eat her veggies!".

"NO THANK YOU!" Hermione said. And her Grandmother made her a big stack of pancakes with extra butter and super-extra-double syrup on them. Hermione ate every bite.

And for dessert, they had some cake with ice cream! This was, indeed, a special occasion!

The next morning, Hermione woke up with a belly ache. "I must be very hungry," she said to herself. Hermione got dressed quickly. She washed her face, brushed her teeth, and combed her hair. When she went downstairs, Grandma asked "What would you like for breakfast, my dear?".

Hermione said "Oh, Grandma, I would love a big plate of waffles and French toast with extra butter and super-extra-double syrup on them!".

"Don't you think we should have some fruit with our breakfast?" asked Grandma. "You know, a growing girl should eat her fruit!".

"NO THANK YOU!" Hermione said. And her Grandmother made her a big stack of waffles and French toast with extra butter and super-extra-double syrup on them. Hermione ate every bite.

And for dessert, they had some cake with ice cream, and some cookies on the side! This was, indeed, a special occasion!

Hermione went outside to play in the garden. She was having a lovely time chasing butterflies, except that she had this pain in her belly. "I must be catching a cold," she said to herself. "A lovely lunch with my Grandma, is sure to make me feel better!".

When it was time for lunch, Hermione's Grandmother asked "What would you like for lunch, my dear?".

Hermione said "Oh, Grandma, I would like a triple-decker peanut butter and jelly sandwich with extra extra extra jelly on it!".

"Don't you think we should have a salad with our lunch?" asked Grandma. "You know, a growing girl should eat her veggies!".

"NO THANK YOU!" Hermione said. And her Grandmother made her a triple-decker peanut butter and jelly sandwich with extra extra extra jelly on it. Hermione ate every bite.

And for dessert, they had some cake with ice cream!, some cookies on the side and some gummy bears. This was, indeed, a special occasion!

After lunch, Hermione went to the den to watch her favorite shows on the television. Hermione laughed and laughed, until her stomach interrupted her. It made a noise something like "Guuuuurrrrraaaahummmmph!" and Hermione was a little frightened. "Maybe I should have only had extra jelly on that sandwich," she thought to herself. "Extra extra extra jelly always makes my tummy ruinable!".

But when dinner time came, Hermione's Grandmother asked her, "What would you like for dinner, my dear?".

Hermione said "Oh, Grandma, I would like some chicken nuggets in honey and some french fries with LOTS of ketchup!".

"Don't you think we should have some broccoli or spinach with our dinner?" asked Grandma. "You know, a growing girl should eat her veggies!".

"NO THANK YOU!" Hermione said. And her Grandmother made her some chicken nuggets in honey and some french fries with LOTS of ketchup. Hermione ate every bite.

And for dessert, they had some cake with ice cream!, some cookies on the side and some gummy bears, PLUS some brownies with icing. This was, indeed, a special occasion!

Hermione went to bed that night, but she could not sleep very well. Her tummy was saying funny things to her, and keeping her awake. When she finally fell asleep, Hermione dreamed of broccoli and spinach, green beans and kale, salad and lima beans, collards and peppers, cucumbers and cabbage.

When Hermione woke up in the morning, she was as hungry as she ever was before! Hermione got dressed quickly. She washed her face, brushed her teeth, and combed her hair. When she went downstairs, Grandma asked "What would you like for breakfast, my dear? This is our last meal before your parent come to get you!".

Hermione said "Oh, Grandma, I would love some cake with ice cream, some cookies on the side with some gummy bears, some brownies with icing, some pie with whipped cream and some chocolate bars!".

"Don't you think we should have some fruit with our breakfast?" asked Grandma. "You know, a growing girl should eat her fruit!".

"NO THANK YOU!" Hermione said. And her Grandmother made her some cake with ice cream, some cookies on the side with some gummy bears, some brownies with icing, some pie with whipped cream and some chocolate bars.

And for dessert, they had some more cake with ice cream, some cookies on the side with some gummy bears, some brownies with icing, some pie with whipped cream and some chocolate bars.

Later that morning, Hermione's mother and father came to pick her up. "Did you have a good time visiting with your Grandmother?" they asked.

"Oh, YES!" said Hermione, "It was really a most special occasion!".

When they arrived at home, Hermione's mother asked her "What would you like for lunch, my dear?". But Hermione said she was still too full from her breakfast, to eat any lunch.

So Hermione went to the den to watch her favorite shows on the television. But instead of laughing and laughing, Hermione felt a little queasy. "I think I will just take a nap for a little while," she thought. "I had too much fun and excitement at Grandma's house this weekend, and I"m all worn out!".

Hermione fell asleep. But when she did, she dreamed of broccoli and spinach, green beans and kale, salad and lima beans, collards and peppers, cucumbers and cabbage.

When Hermione woke up, it was nearly time for supper.

"What would you like to have for supper tonight, my dear?" Hermione's mother asked.

And Hermione said, "Mother, I would really like to have some broccoli and spinach, green beans and kale, salad and lima beans, collards and peppers, cucumbers and cabbage!".

"Well, that is a new request from you, my lovely Hermione Hippo!" her mother exclaimed.

So for supper, the Hippo family had some broccoli and spinach, green beans and kale, salad and lima beans, collards and peppers, cucumbers and cabbage.

And when Hermione woke up the next morning, she felt simply WONDERFUL! After all, a growing girl should eat her veggies!


*** Author's Note: Both the River Hippopotamus and the Pygmy Hippopotamus are endangered species. Hippos live in Africa, and are amphibious. This means they can live on both land and in the water. A Hippo can hold their breath for a very long time! Both kinds of hippos have become endangered because their habitats are disappearing. If you want to learn more about endangered animals, visit your local library! Your librarian can help you to select a book that is just right for YOU!