CINCINNATI -- Fiona, the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden's beloved baby hippo, has a lot of fans at WCPO, our sister station in Cincinnati: They've made her a valentine, written a song in her honor and even designed a downloadable paper doll hippo.
Now they've created a book for her, too. In November, WCPO will publish "My Best Friend Fiona," a limited-edition illustrated children's book, with permission from the Cincinnati Zoo.
Created by WCPO cartoonist Kevin Necessary and community reporter Lucy May, "My Best Friend Fiona" tells the story of the little hippo who never gave up and how she became the superstar she is today. The 32-page hardcover book, which is sponsored by Skyline Chili, features illustrations of Fiona, her family and her adoring public.
"My Best Friend Fiona" retails for $19.95, plus shipping and handling, and is now available for pre-order at www.mybestfriendfiona.com. Books will ship after Thanksgiving. It'll also be available in Skyline Chili's online retail store on Nov. 15.
"Fiona has so much personality, so she was really fun to illustrate," Necessary said. "And like most of Cincinnati, Lucy has a true obsession with Fiona, and you can tell that she put her hippo-loving heart into bringing this book to life."
WCPO will donate 20 percent of proceeds to support Fiona's care at the Cincinnati Zoo.
For more information about the book, visit www.mybestfriendfiona.com.
