Nestling at the bottom of a five-storey apartment block is the children's playground, Hinode Park. If you look to the side, standing on stubby legs, is a hippo. Its upturned eyes give it a teary look, yet for decades, its quiet power has sustained the hearts of one community.

Meet the neighbours who will reach out to kabahiko hippo:

• Kanato presses his head to the hippo's cheek, hoping to recover the stellar marks he once scored
• Sawa, a lonely new mother, strokes its mouth, hopes to connect as she once did when she was an award-winning retail assistant;
• Chiharu, a wedding-planner, hopes to be able to listen for the happiness of others
• Yuya avoids sports day with a fake injury, only to find he really is in pain.
• Despite Kazuhiko's fading eyes from too much editorial work, he will learn to see life's everyday wonders.

A quietly powerful story of hope, friendship and connection, Michiko Aoyama's beloved bestseller is a celebration of everyday encounters. Its subtle portrayal of the magic of community will lodge itself in every reader's heart.