Hippo Thunder — Susan Sussman

A child, frightened by a night thunder storm, walks through the house. Grandma, sister, brother all have ideas about what causes thunder. Finally, Father sits with the child and explains that thunder is the sound lightning makes. Together, they watch out a window and wait for lightning. As soon as they see it they count--one hippopotamus, two hippopotamus, three hippopotamus....as fast as they can until they hear the thunder. The more hippopotamus' they can count between the lightning and thunder, the further away the storm.

Soon, the child is so busy looking for lightning and counting hippopotamus', he forgets to be afraid. John Wallner's charming illustrations and Susan Sussman's clear, simple language make science interesting and counting to twenty a delight.