Books & Literature

Book Review: Giraffe Problems, by Jory John

A simple story for ages 4 and above about body image, translated to a giraffe and a turtle who worry about the length of their necks.

A simple story about body image, translated to a giraffe and a turtle. Jory John tells how each of us has something we don’t like about our body. In this case, Edward the Giraffe and Cyrus the Turtle both dislike their necks. Edward thinks his is too long and Cyrus thinks his is too short.

As Edward explains how he has tried to hide his long neck, Cyrus explains the difficulty he has with a short neck, especially as he’s waiting for a banana to ripen and fall so he can taste it. With Edward’s long neck, he is able to pick the ripe banana and allow Cyrus to eat it. In the end, both friends come to appreciate that each of us is different.

The illustrations throughout this book are by Lane Smith. They are textured in a way that makes you feel as if the pages could be stroked. Simple yet beautiful, they add to the words giving extra emotion to the text. One flip-up page is placed to give extra impact and shows the importance of friendship and cooperation in that single page; a friendship that continues to develop.

This is a story to be read to littlies and to be read by them as they gain reading skills. I recommend this book for children four and over.

Reviewed by Leanne Caune

Rating out of 10:  7

Distributed by: Walker Books
Released: October 2018
RRP: $24.99 hardcover

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