James Marshall, author-illustrator  George and Martha
     Houghton
     Reviewed 8/72
George and Martha — two bulbous hippos — make their debut in five funny, almost silly, stories about the meaning of friendship. “‘Friends should always tell each other the truth,’” Martha placidly states, and through all of their semi-tribulations — George dislikes Martha’s split-pea soup, George’s front tooth breaks—the hippos keep their healthy perspective. The pale pictures of these creatures and their adventures — in yellows, pinks, greens, and grays — capture the directness and humor of the stories. The book itself, like a good friend, “‘always know[s] how to cheer you up.’” a.s.