Giraffe Problems

by Jory John, Lane Smith (Illustrator)

Overview

The bestselling creators of the hilarious Penguin Problems, Jory John and Lane Smith, turn a giraffe's problematic long neck into an enviable advantage in this fun board book.

Edward the giraffe can't understand why his neck is as long and bendy and, well, ridiculous as it is. No other animal has a neck this absurd. He's tried disguising it, dressing it up, strategically hiding behind bushes—honestly, anything you can think of. Just when he has exhausted his neck-hiding options and is about to give up, Cyrus the turtle ambles in (very slowly) and helps Edward understand that his neck has a purpose and, besides, looks excellent in a bow tie. 

Along with a heavy dose of humor comes a gentle reminder about the importance of acceptance.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593127728
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	06/09/2020
Series:	Animal Problems
Pages:	34
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.80(d)
Lexile:	AD530L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 Months to 3 Years

About the Author

JORY JOHN is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many books for both children and adults. He is the author of Penguin Problems and Giraffe Problems (both illustrated by Lane Smith), The Bad Seed and The Good Egg (both illustrated by Pete Oswald), and Quit Calling Me a Monster! and I Will Chomp You! (both illustrated by Bob Shea), among many other books. Jory is a two-time E. B. White Read Aloud Honor recipient and has won numerous state book awards for his writing. He lives in Oregon. You can find him at joryjohn.com and follow him on Twitter at @IamJoryJohn.

LANE SMITH (also the illustrator of Penguin Problems) has written and illustrated a bunch of stuff, including Grandpa Green, a Caldecott Honor Book, and It's a Book, which has been translated into over twenty-five languages. Four of his books have been New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books of the Year. In 2012 the Eric Carle Museum named him an Honor Artist for "lifelong innovation in the field of children's books." In 2014 he received the Society of Illustrators Lifetime Achievement Award. Lane lives in rural Connecticut with his wife, book designer Molly Leach. Visit him on the web at lanesmithbooks.com.

Editorial Reviews

★ "This book will appeal to older preschoolers as well as elementary school kids, and would lend itself perfectly to dramatic interpretation or an art lesson in sponge or block printing."—School Library Journal, starred review

★ "Never one to let an opportunity for caricature go to waste, Smith stretches Edward’s neck to comical length... That it’s just right for a giraffe is a notion that Edward, not to mention young readers with self-consciousness issues of their own, will have no trouble swallowing."—Booklist, starred review

★ "Lighthearted palaver by John (The Bad Seed) flows effortlessly, and the pair’s courtly manners (“That means a great deal to me, Edward”) are sure to garner laughs as their shared dismay rings true."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

“With this and Penguin Problems, John is clearly setting out to catalogue animal angst continent by continent, and audiences won’t want to miss the trip.” —The Bulletin
 
“Eye-catching and expressive.” —Kirkus Reviews
 
“Readers are afforded caring models for self-accep­tance and unconditional friendship.” —The Horn Book

From the Publisher

2018-07-24

Necks come in many sizes, and sometimes those sizes seem inconvenient.

Edward the giraffe is unhappy about his neck. It's so…"necky." Despite fancy adornments and multiple attempts to hide, Edward is unable to accept his longest-lasting problem—his neck. That is, until he meets his complete opposite: a turtle named Cyrus whose problem is also his neck. It's too short. He desperately wants a banana but can't reach it. Together they solve each other's problems and delight in each other's strengths, thereby also learning to accept themselves as just right. Smith's artwork is eye-catching and expressive, with a retro feel, using earth tones and geometric shapes to evoke texture and dimension. The story, though lively, does not soar as high as Edward's neck, remaining earthbound due to well-worn tropes and a too-tidy ending. Additionally, the author has missed out on a STEM opportunity by failing to introduce animal nomenclature, simply labeling the animals Edward believes are staring at him (a warthog, a crocodile, and other animals) as simply "This guy," "That guy," and so forth. A clever bit of paper engineering does enable readers to take part in the story for a brief moment. Learning to appreciate one's body in all its complicated and even ungainly forms is a laudable moral—one that should hide itself behind a more original story.

Skip this stretch of a story and seek out stronger friendship titles instead. (Picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews