(3) K-3 Illustrated by Yasmeen Ismail. Because of giraffe Noodle's loud snoring, Sophia's new pet (her birthday gift in One Word from Sophia) may be exiled from her quirky family. Approaching the problem scientifically, inquisitive Sophia consults an acoustical engineer, then experiments, fails, and finally builds a wacky "snore transformer" that turns Noodles's snoring into "a sweet giraffian lullaby." Loose, Raschka-esque watercolor and colored-pencil illustrations complement the story's playful language. Glos.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(2) PS The overeager giraffes from How Do You Say? / ¿Cómo se dice? are back in this high-energy bilingual book. They try to guess what an ostrich is feeling: "Are you hungry? / ¿Tienes hambre?" "Annoyed? / ¿Irritada?" Finally, the ostrich announces: "I'm excited...because I have new amigos!" Pencil and tissue-paper illustrations emphasize goofy expressions and antics while letting boldly colored text pop against clean white backgrounds.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2018

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Danni Gowdy. A second-person narrative describes how "your" pet giraffe begs to ski. When the giraffe takes off for the "Big Scary Slope," you have no choice but to follow. Clever use of framed vignettes provides step-by-step instruction for snapping on bindings, untangling skis, and even tackling the chairlift. The illustrations' silly cartoony style underscores the implied message: trying new things can be a lot of fun.

Reviewer: Rebecca Kirshenbaum

(3) 1-3 Translated by Cathy Hirano. Illustrated by Jun Takabatake. In this friendship story from Japan, Professor Whale exchanges letters with young Wally, the grandson of a beloved fellow whale. Reminiscing about the good old days prompts the professor to resurrect the Whale Point Olympics, inviting far-flung friends (including Penguin and Giraffe from Yours Sincerely, Giraffe) to return for the fun and games. Humorous black-and-white line drawings add humor and warmth.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Lane Smith. This companion to Penguin Problems stars Edward the Giraffe, who, as revealed in fidgety, conversational first-person text, is self-conscious about his too-long neck. Then downhearted Edward meets lonely turtle Cyrus; retrieving a banana from a tree for Cyrus changes Edward's perspective about his neck. Panels divide images during moments of conversation and contemplation, allowing characters' emotions and reactions to take center stage in the textured, muted illustrations.

Reviewer: Elisa Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2018

(3) PS A hungry giraffe is repeatedly interrupted in her apple-eating by smaller, also-hungry animals. When she gives away her last apple, a didactic message seems certain. Luckily, the final spread reveals a long row of fruit-filled trees and a humorous twist: "She walked to the next tree and ate twenty-seven apples." Digital illustrations resembling collage use simple shapes and bold colors against plentiful white space.

Reviewer: Lolly Robinson

(3) K-3 When Giraffe moves to the jungle, the other animals, and even a human ("Smartest species? Yeah, right"), keep mistaking him for a chair and sitting on him. Giraffe is too afraid to speak up...until nature's call ("I've got to pee!") forces him to take a stand. This well-spun tale's slapstick is all the funnier for the cast's dopey facial expressions.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) 1-3 Translated by Cathy Hirano. Illustrated by Jun Takabatake. In this Japanese import, bored Giraffe sees an ad from a pelican advertising his mail-delivery service; he eagerly writes a letter for delivery to the first animal past the horizon. So begins the letters, speculations, and bloopers of Giraffe and Penguin's friendship. Takabatake's simple line drawings add humor and depth to a wonderfully fresh take on how we make friends and correct mistaken impressions.

Reviewer: Ed Spicer

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz. "Your ideas get us into trouble," says wise turtle Sparky. And, sure enough, giraffe Joe's plans for a surprise party for his (invisible? imaginary?) friend Wiggy the worm do not go as planned. Rather too much is made of the elusive Wiggy (who never does show up for the party), but Joe and Sparky's fans will enjoy seeing that their beautiful friendship goes on.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton

(4) K-3 Story by Drue Robertson. With the Academy Zoowards just hours away, celebrities are experiencing fashion meltdowns--literally! (Rhinoana's cotton-candy dress disintegrates.) With a promotion at Cover magazine on the line, fashion assistant giraffe Mitford uses creativity to save the day. This slight, cheeky follow-up to Mitford at the Fashion Zoo continues to pander to celeb-obsessed adults rather than its intended audience, who will nevertheless appreciate the silly, sketchlike mixed-media illustrations.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes

(4) K-3 Comparison Fun series. After a note to adults provides reader-encouragement tips, these slim easy readers make comparisons using familiar objects (school buses, a bathtub) or animals to explain either the speed or size of each of the four mammals. Some of the examples are more concrete or easier to grasp than others. Crisp color photos illustrate the text; additional facts are appended. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Comparison Fun titles: How Big Is a Blue Whale?, How Fast Is a Cheetah?, How Slow Is a Sloth?, and How Tall Is a Giraffe?.

Reviewer: Nancy Sheridan

(3) K-3 Ever since elephant Ellie saved the zoo from closing in Ellie, it's been bustling with visitors and excitement. But all the hubbub is preventing giraffe Lucy from getting sleep. Ellie ultimately organizes the noisy zoo animals into an orchestra, and their lullaby puts Lucy out cold. Pixar animator Wu's mixed-media with watercolor illustrations imbue the animal characters with friendly expressions and buoy a simple story line.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) PS Jelly Bean is a kind blue giraffe with black spots whose head accidentally becomes home to a bird's nest. Jelly Bean's animal friends entertain her while she waits for the eggs to hatch. The short, simple sentences highlight themes of friendship and caring. Set against the mostly white background, the bright collage illustrations (containing torn tissue- and construction-paper and twine) are full of texture.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

(3) 4-6 Through stories of five giraffes, this book provides abundant information about behavior, anatomy, evolution, and endangered status. From Lmara, living free on a reserve in Kenya, to Msitu, living in a Colorado zoo, Dagg provides a critical but balanced view of life in the wild versus captivity. Nearly every page features highly detailed photos. Suggested activities for young "giraffe guardians" are appended. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Renée Wheeler

(2) PS With one word or phrase per page--English (left), Spanish (right)--two giraffes come together over a leafy meal ("Delicious! / ¡Sabrosa!") that flows elegantly into friendship ("Friends? / ¿Amigos?"). Pencil and tissue-paper illustrations colored digitally use white space, color contrasts, and unexpected layouts to create a visual rhythm that matches the snappy text. This book's design works particularly well for group sharing.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2016

(2) K-3 The initially unseen Shy loves all books, especially books about birds. When a real bird flies by, introverted Shy follows. Finally, he makes contact with Florence, the bird, and the two friends bond over the words of a beloved story. Muted browns and yellows foreshadow the reveal of Shy's species, while translucent blues and whites let us know when Florence is near.

Reviewer: Robin L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2016

(3) K-3 Super Species series. Simple text, a few sentences per page at most, gives basics on each mammal's size, eating habits, and other particulars, often using comparisons to aid comprehension. The clean layouts include copious white space surrounding the text on the verso and one large, clear photo on the recto of each inviting spread. Additional facts are appended. Glos., ind. Review covers these Super Species titles: Blue Whales, Capybaras, and Giraffes.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) K-3 Separated from the other giraffes, Bertie meets Blue (also a giraffe, but blue), who introduces Bertie to his unfamiliar and wondrous home. In turn, Bertie brings his friend back to his herd to share these new experiences. Stylized illustrations contrast the predictable yellow giraffe world with the magical, delicately portrayed environment Blue inhabits, its beauty lending credibility to the herd's instant and unhesitating acceptance.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(3) K-3 National Geographic Readers series. This level-one reader features brief chapters, an accessible text, and lots of colorful, captioned photos. In addition to introducing nonfiction-book conventions, this title offers clear information about giraffes' habitat, physical adaptations, diet, and behaviors. Word definition boxes and a few jokes are interspersed throughout. A quiz and a photo glossary complete the presentation.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Chris Robertson. 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.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey