You Can do Anything (Hip and Hop)

You Can do Anything (Hip and Hop) Synopsis

A new picture book series from the MOBO award-winning hip hop artist Akala, bursting with bright colour artwork from acclaimed illustrator Sav. Hip, a wise hippo; and Hop, his energetic bird friend are taking part in the Blueberry Hill bike race. Hop struggles at first, but with help from Hip, they learn that you can achieve anything if you put your mind to it! Focus on your dreams and go! This series aims to inspire children to grow up as happy, emotionally intelligent and socially responsible human beings. Part prose, part rap, this book is packed full of rhyme and rhythm, making it perfect to read with young children.

Speaking about why he wrote the book Akala said “I am grateful to have grown up with hip-hop and the inspirational messages it shares about aspiration and self-motivation. Hip-hop can break down barriers to reading, education and engage a more diverse readership. When I was growing up I don’t remember seeing a world that I could relate to in picture books. In Hip and Hop I use rhythm and rhymes inspired by the music I love, combined with an inner-city setting, to motivate children to turn self-doubt on its head and pursue their dreams.”

Pete Marley, Commissioning Editor for Children’s Books at Oxford University Press, said “the connection between hip-hop and picture books is clear when you think about it. Both forms use rhythm, rhyme, and repetition to captivate and engage their audiences. In Hip and Hop Akala’s exceptional storytelling and Sav’s breath-taking artwork come together to create a distinctive book that we hope will appeal to children from all backgrounds.”