When Elephant Met Giraffe

PreS-Gr 2—Whether it's their first meeting at the water hole, baking pretzels, or playing make believe, a chatty elephant and a silent giraffe learn about the benefits of sharing, cooperating, and compromising. This book is divided into three short episodes, each with a funny twist, a subtle message, and just one or two sentences per spread. The stories stand alone but also contribute to the whole by showing the give-and-take of friendship. Gude's sense of visual and textual pacing and comedic timing is spot-on, as is his use of cinematic angles to bring attention to the reactions of the characters. The digital illustrations do a good job of conveying facial expressions and emotions, and their large size, bright colors, and thick outlines make the book great for sharing with a group. Not only will children find the activities here relatable, but they will also identify with the characters' childlike personalities. Read one or more of the tales out loud, or give this book to beginning readers to enjoy on their own. Similar to Mo Willems's "Elephant and Piggy" stories (Hyperion), this book is a first purchase.—Amy Seto Musser, Denver Public Library