Author: Michiko AoyamaModern & contemporary fiction (post c 1945)Published on 21 May 2026 by Transworld Publishers Ltd (Penguin (Transworld)) in the United Kingdom.Paperback | 240 pages126 x 197 x 17 | 172g The brand new novel by the author of WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR IS IN THE LIBRARY now available in translationReaders adore Healing Hippo:'I wanted to discover the magical hippo in myself as I read this book' *****'How does Aoyama depict human emotion so vividly? I imagined myself in this book' *****'I almost wept on my train home from work' *****'It gripped my heart. I wish there was a magical hippo near my home' *****'Whenever I feel hurt, I want to re-read this wonderful book' *****‘Kabahiko is an amazing hippo. People say that if you touch the area of his body that you want to make better on yours, he’ll provide a cure'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, yet for decades, its quiet power has sustained the hearts of one community.Meet the neighbours who will reach out to kabahiko:-Kanato presses his head to the hippo's cheek, hoping to recover the stellar marks he once scored;- Sawa, a lonely new mother, strokes its mouth, hopes to connect as she once did when she was an award-winning retail assistant;- Chiharu, a wedding-planner, hopes to be able to listen for the happiness of others;- Yuya avoids sports day with a fake injury, only to find he really is in pain.- despite Kazuhiko's fading eyes from too much editorial work, he will learn to see life's everyday wonders.A quietly powerful story of hope, friendship and connection, Michiko Aoyama's beloved bestseller is a celebration of everyday encounters. Its subtle portrayal of the magic of community will lodge itself in every reader's heart.
