Harriet Ziefert facts for kids

Harriet Ziefert, born on July 7, 1941, is a famous American author. She writes many books for children. She was born in North Bergen, New Jersey. Harriet has written hundreds of children's books. Her popular "Little Hippo" series is one example. Artists like Emilie Boon and Santiago Cohen have drawn pictures for her books.

Working with Emilie Boon: Fun Books for Kids

Harriet Ziefert often worked with illustrator Emilie Boon. Together, they created special books for young children.

What Are Board Books?

Ziefert and Boon made "board books" for preschoolers. These books are strong and thick, perfect for little hands. They often combine a story with a fun game. For example, in Timothy's Numbers, the book comes with foam numbers. Kids can put these numbers into special slots as the rabbit, Timothy, helps them count. Another book, Timothy's Shapes, helps children learn about different shapes. These board books are a popular way to mix toys and learning for kids.

The Little Hippo Book Series

Ziefert and Boon also worked together on the "Little Hippo" book series. The first book came out in 1988. These books are for children aged 1 1/2 to 5 years old. They help young readers understand big changes in their lives. For example, a book might help a child when a new baby joins the family. Another book might help them if they move to a new house.

The hippo character in these books looks very special. It has unique features, soft outlines, and light-gray coloring. Some popular titles in the Little Hippo series include "Daddy Can You Play With Me?", "Little Hippo's New Baby", and "Little Hippo's New House".

In 1997, Emilie Boon noticed new "Little Hippo" books from Scholastic, Inc.. She felt that the characters in these new books looked very similar to her own drawings. She also noticed they used the name "Little Hippo" and dressed the hippo like hers. Scholastic also tried to get a special right to use the hippo image for their books.

Emilie Boon decided to take legal action. She believed her original artwork was copied. In 1999, a lawsuit was filed against Scholastic. Scholastic said they did not copy anything. In the end, the court decided that Emilie Boon did not have enough proof to win her case.

Notable Books by Harriet Ziefert

Here are some of the well-known books Harriet Ziefert has written. Many of them were illustrated by Emilie Boon.

Illustrated by Emilie Boon

• Bear All Year (1986)
• Bear Gets Dressed (1986)
• Bear Goes Shopping (1986)
• Max and Diana and the Shopping Trip (1987)
• Daddy Can You Play With Me? (1988)
• Mommy Where Are You? (1988)
• My Clothes and My Food (1996)
• Benjy Bear's Halloween (1996)
• Benjy Bear's Christmas (1996)
• Timothy's Numbers (1996)
• Timothy's Shapes (1996)
• Little Hippo's New Baby (1997)
• Little Hippo's New House (1997)
• Little Hippo's New Friend (1999)
• Little Hippo's New School (1999)
• No Kiss for Grandpa (2001)
• Grandma, Where Are You? (2005)
• Grandpa, Will You Play With Me? (2005)