Hippos Go Berserk [Board book]

Sandra Boynton (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: May 1, 2000 | Age Range: 2 and up

Here is the classic Boynton counting story in a sturdy, board book version.

Perfect for travel time, bedtime, or PARTY TIME!

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

How dull, to be one hippo all alone... until the one calls two other hippos on the phone. Soon three more hippos are at the door, bringing along another four. Before the night is through, a houseful of hippos (and one beast) has joined the one hippo for a boisterous bash.

All through the hippo night,
Hippos play with great delight.
But at the hippo break of day,
The hippos all must go away.

In clusters of nine, eight, seven, six, and so on, the hippos depart, finally leaving the one hippo "alone once more, [missing] the other forty-four."

The well-loved Sandra Boynton wrote this tribute to silliness in 1977, inspiring generations of the very young to learn to count. Lively, cute new illustrations complement this edition, with big numbers (one through nine, and nine through one) boldly placed on the corner of each page. The sturdy board book will withstand lots of eager counting fingers, and maybe even a berserk hippo or two. Boynton's familiar style can be seen in scads of other delightfully nonsensical titles, including Barnyard Dance! and Moo, Baa, La La La!. (Ages 3 to 7) --Emilie Coulter

From Publishers Weekly

One of the silliest, most fun counting books around features "One hippo, all alone, calls two hippos on the phone," until a gang of 45 hippos assembles for a party.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 2 and up
  
• Board book: 16 pages
• Publisher: Little Simon; BRDBK edition (May 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689834349
• ISBN-13: 978-0689834349
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.8 x 5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (121 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,990 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #11 in Books > Children's Books > Animals > Mammals

More About the Author

Sandra Boynton is a popular American humorist, songwriter, children's author and illustrator. Boynton has written and illustrated more than forty books for both children and adults, as well as over four thousand greeting cards, and four music albums. Although she does not license her characters to be redrawn or adapted, she has herself designed???for various companies???calendars, wallpaper, bedding, stationery, paper goods, clothing, jewelry, and plush toys.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Board Book of Epic Proportion May 23, 2005

By M. Allen Greenbaum HALL OF FAMETOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Board book

The most entertaining "counting book," I've seen, Sandra Boynton pulls out all the stops (and all the hippos) in this hilariously inventive tale of a hippo happening. It all beings with one lonely hippo, who "calls two hippos on the phone. Three hippos at the door [then, next page] bring along another 4. Before long, "seven hippos arrive in a sack. Eight hippos sneak in the back. Nine hippos come to work. ALL THE HIPPOS GO BERSERK!" Berserk here, means 45 hippos (9 + * + & ... + 1) all in the initial hippo's house, tooting horns, tearing down a hippo portrait (drawn like Whistler's mother, if Whistler were a hippo), eating cake, and being served by those nine working hippos. When morning comes, the hippos leave, in as many different ways as they arrived: By "Greyhip" bus, wagon train (!), helicopter, and wheelbarrow.

We've come to expect Boynton's wonderfully whimsical, rounded style, but she adds several humorous details (e.g. a hippo dancing on the roof), and very cleverly associates the numbers with the hippos. Most counting books are very static, a number, say 5, and five of some item on that page. I suppose a more "advanced" presentation is that the numbers are related in some thematic way. However, Boynton doesn't limit herself to the one page per number formula; she writes a continuous story, in which new guests-the ones associated with that page's number--mingle with previous arrivals. She accomplishes this by distinguishing the new, number-relevant guests through their costumes or by color differences. This format may require more cognitively than simpler books, but Boynton's "Hippos GO Berserk" is so entertaining that it stands alone as pure entertainment; its value "counts" much more than the traditional style.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars One Hippo All Alone... a back and forth counting book August 15, 2003

By Joshua Koppel

Format:Board book

A wondrous counting book that tells of a lonely hippo who calls two others on the phone. Then larger and larger groups keep arriving (three though nine) until all 45 hippos and the beast (a guest of one of the groups) go berserk and party all through the hippo night. But at the hippo break of day, they all begin to go away (nine through two) until all that is left is the original one.

Most counting books only count in one direction. This fun book counts up and then back down again (although it doesn't use zero). It even makes mention of how many they add up to.

Typical Boynton illustrations add to the fun of this book.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars As fun for the parents as for the kids! January 27, 2001

By mirope VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

This is an absolutely hysterical book of rhyming verse. It's fun to read aloud, and a big hit with the kids. Boynton's drawings are great - as always. One special feature: this book counts backwards as well as forwards. An interesting twist on the usual counting book.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Tons of Hippo Fun November 28, 2000

By A Customer

Format:Board book

This is a delightful book! I bought it for my 6 month old son, who has a limited attention span for stories but LOVES this one. I also gave it to my 2 year old niece who, according to my sister-in-law, asks to have "Hippos Go Zerk!" read at least 16 times per day.

Boynton also adds some humorous touches that Mom and Dad can appreciate. Look for the Hippo Whistler's Mother!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars pro-berserks February 21, 2000

By Ian Vollum

Format:Paperback

This is an excellent book for early readers and pre-school teachers alike (I'm of the latter category) A great transition book, steady build up, allow your kids a few seconds to go beserk, then a countdown to quietness. SO simple and delightful, a must for every teachers table !

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Hippos are Awesome June 30, 2008

By Jen Doyle

Format:Board book

This is one of my family's favorite childrens books ever. It not only completely speaks to our crazy and chaotic, yet incredibly loving extended family, but the last line -- "One hippo alone once more, misses the the other forty-four" -- sums up that poignancy of having to say good-bye. All that, plus it helps teach kids to count. (Both my five- and eight-year-olds still want to make sure that there are 44 actual hippos at the height of it all.) I never tire of reading it and have given it as a gift at nearly every baby shower I've ever been to. If you haven't read Sandra Boynton's childrens books, do so now.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book! May 25, 2005

By Joseph Bonomolo

Format:Board book

My daughter, who is now 15 months, LOVES this book. We got it before she was born, but didn't start reading it to her until she was about 12 months and she instantly loved it. We have to take it with us when we go out of town because she loves it so much. Of course we've memorized it, so when we're driving and she gets fussy we can recite it to her and she is happy again. Great, great book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Truly Berserk! July 4, 2001

By Marguerite P. Nico

Format:Board book

This book has all the elements of fun--one author, who obviously loves to write children's books, one subject (HIPPOS) and counting and you have the ingredients for a fun book. My 6 year old loves Hippos Go Berserk! and is learning to read it. She loves the counting as well. This book is in our Boynton collection (we must have the "Boynton Memorial Library" by now!) and it gets read weekly. We have to rotate through all the other Boynton books we have. It's a very good book and I recommend it, for children of ALL ages.