Sale price
$858
Board Book · Ages 2–5 · 1977
Hippos Go Berserk!
Hippos gather for a wild counting party.
$8.99Save 5%
Board book
Hippo & Rhino Books for Kids · 116 titles considered
The Best Hippo and Rhino Books for Kids
By the Bookroo EditorsUpdated July 29, 2026
Hippos and rhinos look as if a child designed them by starting with the word enormous and then adding whichever parts seemed funniest: barrel bodies, tiny ears, improbable feet, a horn here, a mouth wide enough to park a bicycle in there. Picture books understand the contrast immediately. These animals can flatten a landscape, but on the page they are shy about joining a party, fussy about friendship, plagued by hiccups, and forever trying to wear clothes that were plainly not cut for them.
Drawing from Bookroo’s collection of 116 hippo and rhino books, our editors picked the board-book classics, the funniest friendship stories, the clearest first nonfiction, and true accounts of rescued animals and endangered species. Start with our fixed shortlist of 15 favorites, then browse by age and reading stage — from sturdy books for toddlers to chapter books about poachers, wildlife parks, and one closely argued showdown at a watering hole.
The Shortlist
Our 15 Favorite Hippo and Rhino Books
Sale price
$674
Board Book · Ages 1–2 · 1982
But Not the Hippopotamus
A shy hippo musters courage to join the fun. Will it say yes?
$6.99Save 4%
Board book
Sale price
$3324
Picture Book · Ages 4–7 · 1972
George and Martha
Five very short stories about two hippos who know exactly how to annoy and forgive each other.
368 pages
Best for
A first story collection about real friendship$34.99Save 5%
Hardcover
Sale price
$1248
Picture Book · Ages 3–6 · 2005
The Hiccupotamus
By Aaron Zenz · Book #1 in the Hiccupotamus and Friends series
A hippo's hiccups cause chaos. Can friends find a cure?
32 pages· 184 words· Est. 2 min read-aloud
Best for
A read-aloud room that enjoys shouting sound effects$12.99Save 4%
Hardcover
Sale price
$759
Board Book · Ages 1–2 · 2005
Belly Button Book!
A beach full of hippos sings the body-part song no toddler can resist correcting.
$7.95Save 5%
Board book
Sale price
$1899
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2007
A Mama for Owen
By Marion Dane Bauer, John Butler (Illustrator)
A baby hippo finds unexpected friendship after a tsunami changes everything.
32 pages· 488 words· Est. 4 min read-aloud
Best for
A gentle true story about finding safety again4.2/5 Goodreads · 523 ratings
$19.99Save 5%
Hardcover
Sale price
$1899
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 1964
Who Wants a Cheap Rhinoceros?
Discover the joys and surprises of owning an unusual pet: a rhinoceros.
$19.99Save 5%
Hardcover
Sale price
$1697
Picture Book · Ages 5–7 · 2014
The Rhino Who Swallowed a Storm
A frightened mouse hears about a rhino carrying a storm no one else can see.
$17.95Save 5%
Hardcover
Sale price
$1697
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2017
Rhino in the House
By Daniel Kirk
A woman rescues an abandoned rhino calf, but must eventually return it to the wild.
40 pages· 617 words· Est. 5 min read-aloud
Best for
Young conservationists who want a true rescue4.2/5 Goodreads · 222 ratings
$17.95Save 5%
Hardcover
Sale price
$474
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2014
Who Would Win? Rhino vs. Hippo
A rhinoceros and a hippopotamus fight over a watering hole
32 pages· 1,508 words· Est. 17 min read
Best for
A fact collector who wants the animals to fight4.3/5 Goodreads · 387 ratings
$4.99Save 5%
Paperback
Graphic Nov.
Sale price
$1797
Picture Book · Ages 6–10 · 2016
Hippopotamister
A hippopotamus and a red panda try various jobs in the human world before finding their true calling at the zoo.
96 pages· 1,412 words· Est. 15 min read-aloud
Best for
Comic readers wondering what they might be good at4.2/5 Goodreads · 1,322 ratings
$18.99Save 5%
Hardcover
Sale price
$1498
Picture Book · Ages 4–6 · 2024
National Geographic Readers Hippos (Level 1)
By Maya Myers
Big teeth, pink skin oil, underwater walks, and other truths for a child reading alone.
$15.99Save 6%
Library Binding
Sale price
$3392
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2013
Rhinoceroses
A short, photograph-led introduction to rhino bodies, habitats, and daily life.
$35.71Save 5%
Library Binding
Sale price
$858
Chapter Book · Ages 9–12 · 2015
Big Game
By Stuart Gibbs · Book #3 in the FunJungle series
A twelve-year-old boy investigates the attempted assassination of a pregnant rhinoceros at a Texas theme park.
368 pages· 69,786 words· Est. 8 hour read
Best for
Middle graders ready for a wildlife mystery4.5/5 Goodreads · 6,176 ratings
$8.99Save 5%
Paperback
Sale price
$1498
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 1993
Hanna's Cold Winter
By Trish Marx, Barbara Knutson (Illustrator)
A city unites to save zoo hippos during a harsh wartime winter.
$15.95Save 6%
Library Binding
Browse by age
Hippo & Rhino Board Books for Babies and Toddlers
Counting parties, belly-button songs, bedtime at the zoo, and very large animals on very sturdy pages — for ages 0–3.
Sale price
$799
No!
Ages 2–4 · 2013
Otto's new favorite word is 'no,' but can it solve his bad day at school?
Sale price
$799
Fiona's Feelings
Ages 0–3 · 2018
A premature hippo's journey to strength and discovery inspires young readers.
Sale price
$899
Fiona, It's Bedtime
Ages 0–4 · 2021
Fiona the hippo bids goodnight to zoo friends, inviting children to join her bedtime adventure.
Sale price
$695
How Hippo Says Hello!
Ages 2–4 · 2014
Join a hippo's global journey, greeting the world in seven languages.
Sale price
$799
Hippo Says "Excuse Me"
Ages 2–4 · 2012
Hippo navigates chaos with politeness.
Sale price
$795
Big Little Hippo
Ages 0–3 · 2017
A tiny hippo discovers the true size of his heart when helping someone smaller.
Sale price
$799
Bundle Up
Ages 2–4 · 2018
A hippo bundles up for snowy fun, exploring colors along the way.
Sale price
$899
Little Hippo
Ages 0–3 · 2020
A young hippo's river adventure tests his curiosity and his mother's care.
Sale price
$799
Baby Hippo
Ages 0–3 · 2022
Explore with Baby Hippo in this interactive finger puppet adventure.
Sale price
$999
Can't Catch Me!
Ages 0–3 · 2018
A mischievous lion cub's playful chase leads to unexpected encounters.
Sale price
$999
Fiona in the Sandbox
Ages 2–5 · 2023
In the sandbox, a hippo's imagination brings dinosaurs to life.
Sale price
$699
Hide and Seek Harry at the Playground
Ages 2–5 · 2015
A hippo plays hide-and-seek, but can he ever truly hide?
Browse by age
Hippo & Rhino Picture Books
Read-alouds for ages 3–8, with hiccups, unlikely friendships, missing hippos, rescue stories, and enough horns to test any bookshelf.
Sale price
$1499
Hello, Elephant!
Ages 2–5 · 2020
Discover savanna animals with fun flaps and vibrant illustrations.
Sale price
$699
You Should, You Should!
Ages 3–6 · 2013
Hippo struggles with friends' demands to change. Can he stay true to himself?
Sale price
$999
George and Martha One Fine Day
Ages 4–7 · 1978
Two hippo friends navigate challenges, discovering the power of friendship and confidence.
Sale price
$799
One Red Sock
Ages 3–5 · 2020
A hippo's missing sock leads to an unexpected lesson in embracing imperfection.
Sale price
$999
Three Stories About a Dog
Ages 4–8 · 2020
A comical book about a dog navigating various scenarios as the book unfolds.
Sale price
$1799
Maybe Tomorrow?
Ages 4–8 · 2019
Can a joyful friend help lift the weight of sadness and lead to healing?
Sale price
$999
A Porcupine Named Fluffy
Ages 4–7 · 1986
A porcupine struggles with his unfitting name until a new friend changes everything.
Sale price
$1595
Rhymoceros
Ages 2–4 · 2015
A rhino explores rhyming words through playful antics and unexpected situations.
Sale price
$799
George and Martha Tons of Fun
Ages 4–7 · 1980
Two hippo friends navigate friendship's ups and downs with humor and heart.
Sale price
$1595
Hippopposites
Ages 1–3 · 2010
Explore opposites with a quirky red hippo in a playful, textured board book.
Sale price
$1599
The Truth About Hippos
Ages 4–8 · 2018
Uncover surprising truths about hippos in this fun, fact-filled journey.
Sale price
$1899
A Very Fiona Christmas
Ages 4–8 · 2019
A hippo's quest to uncover the true meaning of Christmas at the zoo.
Browse by age
Hippo & Rhino Early Readers and Chapter Books
Animal matchups, field facts, poaching mysteries, and conservation adventures for independent readers ages 6–12.
Sale price
$999
Battle Royale
Ages 6–8 · 2018
Discover which fierce animals triumph in epic battles.
Sale price
$799
The Rhino in Right Field
Ages 8–12 · 2018
A boy faces a rhino and family expectations to chase his baseball dream.
Sale price
$799
The Case of the Missing Hippo
Ages 6–9 · 2018
A jazz-singing hippo vanishes. Can a clever flamingo detective crack the case?
Sale price
$2995
Rhinoceros vs. African Elephant
Ages 8–12 · 2020
Elephant and rhino face off in a battle of strength and survival.
Sale price
$1999
Minnie & Moo and the Seven Wonders of the World
Ages 7–10 · 2003
Two cows must save their farm from being sold by creating wonders and facing a mysterious threat.
Sale price
$1999
Fame, Blame, and the Raft of Shame
Ages 8–12
A raft journey reveals the perils of cancel culture.
Sale price
$799
If I Played Ring Toss with a Woolly Rhinoceros
Ages 6–7 · 2023
Travel back to the Ice Age for a game with a woolly rhinoceros.
Sale price
$799
Eruption at Krakatoa
Ages 8–12 · 2020
Animals must unite to escape Krakatoa's deadly eruption.
Sale price
$499
Roar!
Ages 8–12 · 2018
Discover Africa's wild wonders and learn fascinating animal facts.
Sale price
$699
Rhinos at Recess
Ages 6–9 · 2023
Two siblings travel back in time to Africa to help save a black rhino and her baby from poachers.
Sale price
$599
The Big Race Lace Case
Ages 6–8 · 2020
A detective rhino must solve the mystery of missing sneaker laces before the big race.
Keep exploring
HippopotamusesRhinocerosesBooks about animalsBooks about wild animalsThe zooSafari booksBooks about AfricaBooks about conservationBooks about endangered speciesBooks about elephantsBooks about giraffesBooks about lionsBooks about cheetahsBooks about friendshipBooks about being differentFeelings & emotions