Review: Giraffes Can't Dance

Giraffes Can't Dance

Written by Giles Andreae

Illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees

Publication Date: 1999
Publisher: Orchard Books
ISBN: 978-1-84121-565-5

Ratings:
amazon.com: 4.8 out of 5 (72 ratings)
goodreads.com: 4.27 out of 5 (494 ratings)

Summary/back cover:
Gerald was a tall giraffe
Whose neck was long and slim,
But his knees were awfully bandy
And his legs were rather thin.
Gerald was not a good dancer. Every year he dreaded the great Jungle Dance. but what Gerald discovers one beautiful moonlit night is that when we're different sometimes all we need is a different song to dance to...

My 2 year old was given this book at his Baptism when he was 2 months old, and it has been read many, many times since then. With a gentle rhyming text and brightly coloured pictures, this book appeals to children from a very young age - my 5 month old enjoys this book a lot now, too. The pictures are detailed, and there is the added bonus of toddlers finding a blue, red and yellow bug and a cricket on every page - this has become quite a game for us!

The author, Giles Andreae is well known for not only his children's stories, but also as the poet Purple Ronnie.

I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who has children or looks after them - it will appeal to many ages - from birth right through until well into school-aged children. It has become one of those books that I love to buy for other people's children for special occasions.

My rating:  5 out of 5.  This is becoming a classic that every child should read at least once!

Review written by Bronwyn