Title: Giraffes Can't Dance
Author: Giles Andrede
Illustrator: Gu Parker-Rees
Publication Date: 1999 (First American Edition: 2001)
Publisher: Orchard Books London/New York
Summary: This book is about a giraffe named Gerald. Gerald has crooked knees and thinks that he can't dance. He goes to a "Jungle Dance" where all the other animals in the jungle are dancing really well. Gerald is shy and as he approaches the dance floor the rest of the other animals stop dancing and stare at Gerald to se if he will try to dance. The animals laugh at him and call him "Clumsy Gerald" and tell him that giraffes can't dance. For a little while Gerald believes them and leaves the dance, sad and depressed. He runs into a cricket who wisely tells him, "...sometimes when you're different you just need a different song." For the first time, Gerald really believed in himself and began to dance. Gerald finally realized that he could dance! The animals that had made fun of him before started to gather around in amazement at Gerald being able to dance. They asked him how it was possible that he was able to suddenly dance and he simply told them, "we all can dance when we find music that we love."
Recommendation for Parents:
This story has a good moral. It teaches kids that believing in yourself can help you succeed at the things in life that they might find hard or almost impossible. The colorful pictures help engage the children in the story.
Recommendation for Other Teachers:
This story can help encourage students who are struggling with something, such as reading or math or anything else. It sets an example that if you try hard and believe in yourself than anything is possible. Sometimes a little encouragement goes a long way.
Personal Note:
I chose this story because it was sweet and it reminded me of what it is like to think that you can't do something just because people tell you you can't. I like the idea of finding your own music. It reminds me of students with all different types of intelligences and how some of them need to find their own way to learn something; even if it is completely different than the way anyone else learns it.
