Herbert, a young, kind hippo, woke up so excited for his first day of 5th grade. He chose his outfit, including his favorite accessory gifted by his mother...a BOWTIE!!

Herbert arrives at school ready to make friends. He is welcomed by his teachers with a big smile on their faces. Unlike them, Buster the bunny, Riot the rhino and Spike the skunk, the bullies, all have a sneaky grin on their faces, looking for trouble. Herbert doesn't think much of it, and enters his classroom door.

He is greeted by the colorful carpet, where he finds his buddies Ellie the elephant, Mario the monkey and Blaire the beaver. They all agree to hangout on the playground during recess. Little did they know, the bullies had similar plans. After a small icebreaker, they are released to go outside.

Herbert finds his friends outside and runs to the playground. He's playing tag until his bullies decide to show up. The bullies make fun of Herbert for the funky, bow tie he is wearing. He is scared off and leaves the playground before anyone gets hurt.

At the end of the day, Herbert goes home and starts crying to his mother. He's ashamed of what he is wearing but his mothers comforts him. Herbert wants to attack his bullies but while he sleeps, he dreams of what his grandma told him once "When the opportunity presents itself for you to defeat  your enemy, that is the time which you must not do it.”

".

The next morning, his bullies decide to go bug Herbert again. He stands up for himself nonviolently saying "“To the degree that I harm my brother, no matter what he is doing to me, to that extent I am harming myself... If you harm me, you harm yourself.". Instead of pushing, they talk it out and become friends.