ZMeet Zambro

A heartwarming children’s picture book

Big laughs. A bigger heart. One unforgettable hippo.

Meet Zambro, Mandy’s lovable hippo friend. His heartwarming daily misadventures will have children laughing, adults smiling, and families reading together again and again.

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FriendshipKindnessPatienceFamily fun
Full illustrated cover-style image introducing Zambro outside Mandy’s home.

My Hippo in the Bathtub

One lovable hippo. One patient friend. Endless surprises.

Mandy and Zambro turn ordinary days into warm, funny adventures filled with friendship, forgiveness, and the joy of being loved just as you are.

01

Big personality

Zambro is playful, expressive, curious, and wonderfully clumsy.

02

A caring friendship

Mandy helps Zambro learn while always making room for patience and kindness.

03

Lessons with laughter

Gentle themes are woven into a lively story families can enjoy together.

Meet the characters

Mandy & Zambro

Two best friends with very different personalities—and one enormous friendship.

Zambro, a cheerful purple hippo wearing his blue Zambro shirt.

The lovable hippo

Zambro

Playful, joyful, and wonderfully curious. Zambro means well, even when his big ideas lead to even bigger surprises.

FunnyCuriousBig-hearted
Mandy smiling and waving in her pink shirt and blue overalls.

His best friend

Mandy

Caring, patient, and honest. Mandy guides Zambro through every adventure while reminding him that friendship includes forgiveness.

KindPatientThoughtful

Inside the story

Preview pages

Click any page to open a larger, easy-to-read preview.

About the author

Harry Sturmwind

Harry is a grandfather of nine whose grandchildren loved the stories he created for them on the spot. Their encouragement inspired him to write My Hippo in the Bathtub. Before retiring, Harry worked in high technology and retail. He enjoys photography, horology, and road trips across North America with his wife of more than four decades.

Book Review

Kids Picture Book Review

Review from Kids Picture Book Review
My Hippo in the Bathtub
by Harry Sturmwind

My Hippo in the Bathtub is a charming and imaginative children's book that celebrates the special bond between a young girl named Mandy and her lovable pet hippo, Zambro. While the idea of having a hippo as a pet is wonderfully playful, the story carries an important message that young readers and parents alike will appreciate: true friendship means showing patience, kindness, and love, even when mistakes happen.

Through Mandy's cheerful narration, readers follow Zambro on a series of fun adventures, from daily walks and games of hide-and-seek to unexpected moments of mischief, including an unforgettable trip to ballet class and, of course, his favorite activity, bathtime. Zambro's larger-than-life personality creates plenty of humorous moments, but beneath the laughs is a gentle lesson about responsibility, forgiveness, and caring for those we love.

What makes this book especially appealing is the warm relationship between Mandy and Zambro. Like many pets, Zambro can be messy, excitable, and sometimes a little troublesome, yet Mandy never stops seeing him as her friend. The story thoughtfully reminds children that pets, and friends, are not perfect, and that love often means understanding, teaching, and forgiving.

The bedtime scenes are particularly sweet, capturing those familiar moments every parent will recognize: one more drink of water, one more story, and just a little more attention before sleep. These relatable touches add warmth and humor while making the story feel genuine and comforting.

Harry Sturmwind has created a lighthearted tale that balances fun and meaningful life lessons in a way that is easy for young readers to understand. The playful premise, repetitive language, and gentle message make My Hippo in the Bathtub a good choice for read-aloud time, especially for children who love animals and imaginative stories.

— Kids Picture Book Review

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