Hippos Go Berserk!

Hippos Go Berserk!

by Sandra Boynton

When Sandra Boynton does a counting book, it adds up to fun. Illustrated by the author, this is a vibrant full-color picture book.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Counting, Animals, Fiction, Storytime, Humor

32 pages, Board Book

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

Sandra Keith Boynton is an American humorist, songwriter, director, music producer, children's author, and illustrator. Boynton has written and illustrated over eighty-five books for children and seven general audience books, as well as over four thousand greeting cards, and seven music albums. She has also designed calendars, wallpaper, bedding, stationery, paper goods, clothing, jewelry, and plush toys for various companies.

Reviews

[Amos Kitani]

This review is so hard for me to write not just because I'm pre-literate but also because I really wanted to like the book. But I just found some inconsistencies between the text and pictures that were difficult to resolve... and ultimately felt disappointed that not all the hippos go berserk.

Let's start at the beginning:
1 hippo, all alone
calls 2 hippos on the phone.
3 hippos at the door
Bring along another 4.

You might imagine that the pictures should show 1 hippo then 2 then 3 then 4... but that is not the case! The first hippo, I will refer to him as the host hippo, is almost always pictured along with the new hippos! So when there are 3 hippos at the door, the host hippo is there to greet them -- thus there are actually 4 hippos portrayed! The host hippo is almost always pictured and throws off the hippo count on each page. Additionally, with some of the bigger numbers (e.g., 7 or 8), hippos are often portrayed in pairs where one hippo occludes another. This makes it difficult for me to distinguish whether there are two hippos or one. How is an infant supposed to get a leg up in this crazy kind of world?

Additionally, 9 hippos come to work the party as servers... when the hippos are going berserk, it would be inappropriate for them to join in the frenzy... so they really are trying to hold it together rather than "playing with great delight." This suggests a class difference amongst hippos that is being ignored as the author exclaims that "ALL the hippos go berserk!" (emphasis mine) in the plot's climax.

Sandra Boynton does a masterful job of pulling us into this frenetic hippo world. But the gripping story with its symmetric addition and subtraction of hippos does not make up for the deeply flawed and clumsy literal portrayal of the actual number of hippos going berserk.

[Sophia Triad]

A lonely hippo calls a couple of friends and suddenly without realising how and why a full blast party takes place at his home.
Children learn how to count up to 9.

[Karyn]

This book is brilliantly constructed. And it uses the word "berserk." What more can you ask for? I've read it to my kiddo approximately 6387 times, and will probably read it at least that many more, and I will not mind at all.

[Melissa]

Moral of the story: do not invite hippos to your party because they will fuck shit up, yo. Definitely my favorite Boynton board book (although Oh My, Oh My, Oh Dinosaur is a close second). A perennial shower gift favorite (pair with the Owen and Mzee board book for a delightful hippo-themed set.)

[meghana. s]

My friend read this out loud during a group call and ya know what it was the highlight of my month

[Rod Brown]

UPDATED - September 8, 2025

My wife discovered that there was a new edition of this classic book -- and a sequel to boot -- and we're always happy to have an excuse to revisit a family favorite.

I have to say, I'm a little underwhelmed by the "redrawn" label, as Boynton worked very hard to replicate the first book almost exactly line for line. It did become a fun game comparing our 2000 edition board book to this 2022 picture book and trying to suss out any major deviations. Most are ridiculously subtle, with a straight line becoming slightly more curved or vice versa. Hand-drawn circles for wheels and rotors are replaced with perfectly rendered circles. Colors change on small objects. In the big party scene, some characters shift a little to the left or the right to fill in the gap left in the center of the original book, a few have slight changes of expression, and the parody of Whistler's Mother gets the biggest makeover of the book.


PREVIOUS REVIEW - May 17, 2022

Fun counting and party antics with a bloat of hippopotami and one tagalong. One of Boynton's best.

[Jim]

This is a counting book. "One hippo all alone calls 2 hippos on the phone..." When 10 of them get together, they go berserk & party! Then they leave in the same numbers they arrived in. Simple, but fun & my kids have all proved it. This was such a favorite that we kept a copy around long after pages were torn & a cover lost.

I happened to think of it & ordered a copy. My baby, in her mid 20's, remembered it fondly & had to read it before I sent to one son. He's 30 & was delighted to get it. His brother & his wife are now expecting, so the book was sent to them. Again, I was told how great this book was & what fond memories it held.

I don't think it gets any better than that.

[Rod Brown]

Fun counting and party antics with a bloat of hippopotami and one tagalong. One of Boynton's best.

[elise]

my best friend read this to me in silly voices so obviously it’s a new fave

[Melody]

I love Boynton's books, and I was happy to find this one the other day in a used bookstore. I don't think I've ever seen it, and I have no idea how I managed to miss it while collecting them all to read to my son. Adorable counting book featuring 45 hippos and one monster.

[Kirsty Cabot]

First read to Ivy 01/01/2017

An unusual, hilarious counting book including many hippos. Love it!

[Fiona Boyd]

3.75- Had to read this book for a math curriculum course I am taking. Absolutely LOVED this read. The story was about a bunch of hippos that come to one hippos house. As each hippo guest arrives, the reader can follow the number pattern of adding one more hippo each time.

I thought the book framed addition, subtraction, and patterning in a very cute, creative, and engaging way. I loved how the title of the book (I.e. hippos go berserk) does not indicate that it’s a book about math. But in actuality, when reading it, students can learn and do math!

[Jason]

While I appreciate the counting up and also the counting down of hippos, the premise promised by the title never comes to fruition. In the book's most important two page spread, "all the hippos" supposedly "go berserk." It is quite clear, however, that, at most, four to six of the 44 present hippos go berserk, while the majority calmly stand around. The hippos responsible for serving hors d'oeuvres even continue to do so in a notably low-key, non-berserk manner.

Sincerely, what's happening here? This book has a 4+ rating?

[Jennifer]

This has been a favorite of mine since childhood. Fun and colorful, with a build-up of excitement, plenty of surprising details on every page, and fun rhymes along the way; Hippos ranks right up there with The Monster At The End of This Book starting Muppet fave, Grover. Always recommended, any Boynton book.

[Rick]

Very cute.
Very hilarious.

[Kitty]

It's very strange to read about a party- 41 hippos in a small house- in these covid times. Someday we will be able to gather with our hippo friends again.

[Carly Lecuyer]

Quality literature. Rhyming scheme on point. Not only includes counting 1-10 and backwards 10-1, but also incorporates addition. Let us not forget the crux of the plot, “ALL THE HIPPOS GO BERSERK!” An excellent read no matter how old you are 🦛 😉

[Mr. Cody]

A hippo hosts a party for 44 friends. Then the unexpected happened.

[Sylvie]

Hippos going cray-cray!!

[Sarah]

shoutout to emma for reading us this on facetime

[Cheryl]

Last night I had an interesting experience -- my cat requested this book as a bed time story. Far-fetched, you say? I had been enjoying my day off doing internet things on my tablet whilst watching a Pitbulls and Parolees marathon on Animal Planet, my two cats sleeping by my side. At 10 pm I announced we should go to bed, and was expounding on the schedule for the rest of the week when Molly went over to the shelf and began to pull this book out. I turned off the television (no more doggies, hurray! thought the cats) and took the book from her. She sat up prettily at my feet and looked at me expectantly. I found that most interesting because I had never read a story to either of them before. So I read the story to her and Errol in my best library-story-time-holding-up-the-book-to-show-the-pictures style and they sat attentively at my feet for the entire thing. I was worried about the whole "go berserk" aspect, because they have a tendency to do that at bed time, but the book did not give them any inspirations towards naughtiness.

Tonight will be Errol's turn to pick the book.

[Chris]

Implausible.

[Maddison Wood]

ONE HIPPO ALL ALONE CALLS TWO HIPPOS ON THE PHONE Y’ALL!!! I like this book too much, the girls are sick of it because I read it to them too often. Jilly and Em (18 mo.) both wave at the page about the hippos partying all through the night but at the hippo break of day the hippos all must go away, so like, they understand that all the hippos are about to leave and so they wave goodbye to them.

[Carrot Kevins]

This is an excellent book. The story is easy to follow and very compelling, the characters are well fleshed out and their motivations are complex. It provides a deeper glance into the last few pages of Hippos Remain Calm and is an essential edition of this world Sarah Boynton has created.

[Rachel]

One, I have a soft spot for hippos. Two, it's a counting book, so naturally- Three it's educational AND fun (four). See what I did there? Haha, I know, I only find myself funny, lol. Will buy.

[Ryan]

I Love this book. It’s a favorite for its simple rhyming pattern, fun pictures, and entertaining story.

[Ian Lathrop]

Moving.

[Michelle Gray]

A delightful hippo counting book!!!

[Lynnette]

So fun! The last half of the book is a little hard to catch the cadence, but worth it for the fun.

[Remmi]

This book teaches children bad manners! The hippos keep inviting more people to someone else’s house and they make a ruckus!! Good for counting though