Giraffes Ruin Everything

May 30, 2016
It’s hard to believe that there’s anything worse that having to hang out with a younger sibling, but Schulz (Hook’s Revenge) and Robertson (Little Miss Liberty) have found it: a giraffe. Their redheaded narrator just can’t shake a pesky giraffe that is always in the way. “A giraffe will eat the ice cream right off your cone from half a block away,” the boy notes as the giraffe uses its neck to be as intrusive as possible. “A giraffe will win at hide and seek,” he continues, startled out of a nap by the grinning animal. “Even if you are not playing.” But when the boy is himself accused of ruining everything and the giraffe bails him out, he discovers a new reserve of empathy. In an age where hurling accusations about someone else’s shortcomings has become something of a social norm, this is a gentle but firm reminder that patience and understanding have their rewards. Robertson’s easygoing cartooning, with its hints of 1960s-style animation, makes it an easy lesson to learn. Ages 5–7. Author’s agent: Brooks Sherman, Bent Agency.

July 1, 2016

PreS-Gr 1-What starts off as a story about how awful being friends with a giraffe can be turns into a heartwarming lesson of learning to understand and accept friends as they are. A giraffe's long neck and large stature can be challenging at a party or on the playground and may block people's view at the movies, but as the story continues, readers learn that a giraffe's neck can also be useful in retrieving items that are stuck in a tree, like a kite. The pastel-hued cartoon illustrations emphasize how large a giraffe can be compared to a small child. The giraffe dominates every page. The ending hints at a sequel about how elephants ruin everything. VERDICT This cute offering about friendship is a solid choice for storytime and individual sharing.-Vivian Ho, Port Washington Public Library, NY

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2016
Towering legs and long necks can get in the way of a friendship.The unnamed, rosy-cheeked, white narrator ticks off facts about giraffes--yes, they are tall. Yes, they are gentle. But this little tot is sure about one more thing. Looking directly at readers, hands splayed in exasperation, the child proclaims, "Giraffes ruin everything." Whatever you do, don't invite a giraffe to a birthday party. He will slurp the punch with his long tongue and not even apologize when he stains your shirt. (The giraffe is referred to throughout as male.) And at the park? The giraffe will hog the entire slide; his feet will be at the bottom, but his head will still be at the top. Plus, he can steal your ice cream from half a block away! Giraffes really do ruin everything. (The poor giraffe looks more and more devastated each time he is declared unfit for friendship.) But maybe, just maybe, a giraffe would be helpful to have around sometimes. Especially when friends are quick to shout that you ruin everything. When the tables are turned, suddenly all mistakes seem more forgivable. Bright digital illustrations enliven this cheeky tale. A young child learns to navigate the nuances of social relationships, with help from a spotted, lanky friend. (Picture book. 3-7)

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July 1, 2017
A boy points out everything giraffes mess up (birthday parties, movies, park activities), which Robertson highlights in his loose, thick-lined pencil and digital art. But when a kite gets stuck in a tree, the giraffe's long neck ends up being an asset. The child's narration has a mean-spirited tone, and he doesn't seem to have learned from the experience by book's end.

(Copyright 2017 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)