Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae

Book Genre: Fiction

Publishing Info: Scholastic, Inc. (32 pages)

Awards or Honors: Shortlisted for Blue Peter Children's Book Awards: The Best Book to Read Out Aloud 2002.

Summary: Gerald is a tall slim clumsy giraffe who really wants to dance at the Jungle Dance. However, he is very bad at dancing and is afraid to embarrass himself in front of the other animals. The other animals dance and even make fun of Gerald when he shows up. They laugh at him and tell him he that he can't dance. Gerald feels horrible and creeps off the dance floor to be alone. While he is alone and feeling blue he meets a friendly cricket who convinces him to slow down and listen for "his own" music. Gerald does just that and suddenly he begins to move to the music of the jungle (crickets, wind, animal sounds). As Gerald realizes that he is dancing he begins to feel much better about himself. The other animals eventually show up and are amazed at how great Gerald is dancing. They ask him how he learned how to dance so well and he tells them that they simply need to find music that they love.

Personal Rating & Reasons: ****Great! This is rhyming story that really catches your attention. The bright colors of the illustrations and the catchy rhythm of the words reels you in. It has a wonderful lesson behind the story. It teaches children that not everyone is perfect at everything. Sometimes you may not be as good at one thing, but you can find your own way of doing things that may be better.

Reading Level: K-3 (3.8 AR)

Interest Level: ages 4-8 years

Possible Uses: This book could be used to tie science, arts, writing, and social studies across the curriculum.
Science: The animals of this book could be used to introduce different animals to the students. The class could discuss how animals interact with each other and their environment.
Arts: The children could do their own illustrations of this story. They could also act out the story as it is read. For example: some play the roles of the warthogs, rhinos, elephants, lions, Gerald and the cricket. Some children could create the background music by using wood blocks, paper plates filled with beans, snapping, rubbing sand paper, humming, etc. Another activity would be to have the children create a dance that they think Gerald would perform.
Writing: The teacher could read half the book and have the children write an alternate ending to the story. Then they could share their stories with the class before the actual ending is read.
Social Studies: The teacher could introduce a world map or globe and show the children where Africa is. There could be a lesson as to how that continent is different from ours.
Character Education: This story could be used to help explain courage and perseverance.

Potential Problems: Reading level of the students would determine if this is a read aloud or independent reading.