Fiona The Hippo Is Coming Soon To A Bookshelf Near You

Ever since she was born prematurely at the start of the year, she's been rapidly becoming the Internet's favorite pet — and now Fiona the Hippo will star in a children's book. Back in January, a baby hippo named Fiona was born prematurely at the Cincinnati Zoo, weighing only 29 pounds. (On average, a baby hippo will weigh between 55 and 110 pounds.) Over the course of the year, we've watched Fiona overcome the odds and grow steadily stronger — even developing some healthy neck rolls! Now, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers are due to publish a book called Saving Fiona: Science, Social Media, and the Story of a Baby Hippo, which will teach young readers all about Fiona's journey into the world.

The book about Fiona the Hippo will be released into the world on January 22, 2019, just days before Fiona turns two years old. Fiona has already gained such a social media following in the seven months she's been alive, with people using the hashtag #TeamFiona to show their support for this tough little hippo, so by 2019 she'll probably be practically a Kardashian. The book will be written by Thane Maynard, who is the director of the Cincinnati Zoo where Fiona lives, and is one of Fiona's biggest fans. “In 2017," he told The Enquirer, "it's Fiona's world, and we're just living in it.”

The book will help young readers understand a lot more about hippopotamuses, as well as about the role the zoo plays in raising its animals. But also, who are we kidding, all of us adults will be lining up to buy Fiona the Hippo's book as well.