A Giraffe's Incredible Journey

On this date, June 30, 1827, a giraffe - the gift from the Viceroy of Egypt to the King of France and the first giraffe ever in France - arrived in Paris after a two-year, four-thousand-mile trip. The giraffe sailed across the Mediterranean Sea to Marseilles in the hold of a boat with her head peaking out from below deck in the hold. From Marseilles she walked 550 miles to Paris. All the while she was accompanied by faithful keepers who climbed a ladder every night to comb her head (she was more than 12 feet tall). The beloved giraffe - who influenced French fashion and culture died on January 12, 1845, at Paris.
-The Teacher's Calendar, 2008-2009

Faulkner, Keith.
The Giraffe Who Cock-a-Doodle-Doo'd.
2002.
Dial Books for Young Readers.

Something strange has taken place in the jungle! When the jungle rooster awoke to greet the new day,

he fluffed up his feathers and opened his beak to cock-a-doodle-doo, out came an earth-shattering...
ROAR!

The lion, hearing the roar, decided to scare away the new lion in the jungle.

He opened his enormous jaws, but all that came out was a tiny little...
SqUeak!

The elephant laughed at the lions voice, but his was no better!

He stretched his trunk to trumpet, out came a HISS instead!Snake gets upset, discovering the Elephant's hiss."Listen." But out of his mouth came a very loud SQUAWK!

The parrot, recognizing that the snake had his squawk, suddenly wondered what he had.

Parrot took a deep breath, opened his beak, and out came a ground-shaking TRUMPET!

All of the animals become upset - upset and confused. Giraffe, normally with no voice, waits quietly until prompted by the other animals to try out his voice.

So Giraffe stretched out his long neck, opened his mouth, took a big breath, and...coCk-a-doodle-dooooo!

The magic only lasts for one day, though. By the next morning, the jungle rooster is back at his job, greeting a new day!

This is an awesome book and is sure to get children laughing! The part that makes it even better are the pop-up illustrations that show the animals in action! Definitely worth sharing!

Andreae, Giles.
Giraffes Can't Dance.
1999.
Orchard Books.

Every year, the jungle dance in Africa has Gerald the Giraffe in a panic.

And this year when the day arrive
Poor Gerald felt so sad,
Because when it came to dancing
He was really very bad.

The animals all step up for their chance on the dance floor...

The watrhogs started waltzing
And the rhinos rock 'n' rolled
The lions danced a tango
Which was elegant and bold.

The chimps all did a cha-cha
With a very latin feel,
And eight baboons then teamed up
For a splendid Scottish reel.

When it's Gerald's turn and he gets chuckled at, rather than letting it bog him down, it makes him more determined to be successful at his dance. Suffice it to say, with a little assistance from some other jungle creatures, Gerald is very successful and has a very powerful message for readers.

Then he raised his head and looked up

At the moon and stars above.
"We all can dance," he said,
"When we find music that we love."

I love this book, but even more than the book, I love the message that Gerald passed on to readers. Books with a strong message are one of the reasons that I love reading so much! I think the message is quite clear and children will understand it. However, it might take a discussion to ensure that they're really "getting" the message!

Giraffes Can't Dance Lesson Plan

If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com.

National Week of the Ocean

It's National Week of the Ocean! So, those lucky ones of you out there who might happen to be enjoying spring break ocean-side or just dreaming of it (like me), here are 3 ocean reviews, and one ocean/beach review that is a new release this month!

Ryan, Pam Munoz.
Hello Ocean.
2001.
Charlesbridge Publishing.

Written in poetic form, this book shares with readers the real life experiences of Ryan and her children. The rhyming text coupled with an educational aspect makes this book perfect literature to incorporate into a thematic unit on the five senses. Pam Munoz Ryan shows readers how each of the five senses are experienced when visiting the ocean:

Sight

I see the ocean, gray, green, blue, a chameleon always changing hue. Amber seaweed, speckled sand, bubbly waves that kiss the land,

Hearing

I hear the ocean a lion's roar, crashing rumors toward the shore, water shushing and rushing in, then whispering back to the sea again.

Feeling

squishy, sandy, soggy ground, slippery seaweed that wraps around, sudden breezes that make me squeal - I love the way the ocean feels.

Smell

I smell the ocean, the fresh salt wind, wafting lotions from suntanned skin.

Taste

I taste the ocean and wonder why it tastes like tears I sometimes cry. Sandy grains in a salty drink.

I can already visualize how I would use this book in such a unit... The book would be used as an introduction to a culminating project on the unit. After reading and discussing the story, I would have students draw from a hat one of five different places: Hello Candy Shoppe, Hello Farm, Hello Ballpark, Hello Circus, Hello Amusement Park. I would then have the students explain the way each each of the 5 senses are used at their given destination.

Frasier, Debra.
Out of the Ocean.
2002.
Harcourt Children's Books
Guided Reading Level: J

This book would be a perfect read before heading to the ocean for a vacation! It provides readers with a purpose while taking strolls along the beach. Not only does Frasier take readers on an adventure alongside a mother and daughter as they walk along the beach, she also shows that with a little imagination you can find a way to appreciate the gifts that are truly right in front of you. The last few pages of the book provide a wealth of information about all the treasures that can be found while walking along the beach.

Andreae, Giles.
The Pop-Up Commotion in the Ocean.
2002.
Tiger Tales.
Guided Reading Level: M

This book focuses less on the beach aspect of the ocean and more on the sea life. Youngsters are sure to love it, as it is a pop-up book. Lucky for you, it's also a book of poems, perfect for celebrating both National Week of the Ocean and National Poetry Month! The verses are funny and somewhat educational at the same time!

Keller, Holly.
Miranda's Beach Day.
2009.
Greenwillow Books.

This wonderful new release shows how the relationship between the crab and the ocean is similar to that of a mother and daughter, as the daughter will always belong to her mother and the crab will always belong to the ocean, although they may go their separate ways at times.

It's an interesting way that the connection is made, as Miranda and her mother head out for a day at the beach. While there, Miranda meets another little boy and the two quickly set to work building a sandcastle (a new home) for small crab that Miranda and her mother found on the beach. As the day comes to a close, the ocean tide is moving in, and takes with it crab. At the same time, Miranda's mom collects her daughter to head home for the day. It's a cute story and while children may have a difficult time understanding the connection between themselves and the crab, for sure you mother's out there will appreciate the story!

If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com.