Giraffes don’t dance. At the annual jungle dance, other animals often tease them about their lack of moves; one such giraffe named Gerald devised a plan.
Children will enjoy learning about giraffes and the importance of being true to oneself in this beautiful book, which also serves as an important lesson on overcoming challenges and finding talents unique to each individual.
Music
Giraffes may not be known for their dancing prowess, but Gerald shows up to join in at the annual Jungle Dance anyway and is quickly mocked by his jungle pals when trying to join in – until an inspiring cricket reminds Gerald that every creature has its own distinct song – and soon, Gerald outwits all with his exquisite moves!
Giraffes Can’t Dance is an exceptional book to teach children to embrace their individual differences without allowing others to make them feel bad about themselves. Additionally, its rhyme and repetitive text provide excellent opportunities for speech and language goals as it expands expressive vocabulary (such as describing body parts or animals), incorporates articulation targets ( /r/ for floor and roar or knees and trees and knees), as well as increase general phonological awareness ( recognizing initial sounds in words like giraffes dance really Gerald jungle etc).
Tiny Tunes brings this timeless story to life through music by Camille Saint-Saens’ Carnival of the Animals. Download a complimentary digital album and listen along while reading along. Developed in partnership with Ready Readers and COCA; presented by Steward Family Foundation with additional support provided by Ameren. Moneta Group Charitable Foundation has provided additional funding support. Featuring the SLSO Chamber Ensemble. Recorded and mixed by Bob Krygier; assisted by Dana Kletter; artwork created by Joey Arrington.
Theme
Giraffes Can’t Dance is an engaging tale about Gerald the giraffe who longs to dance but cannot due to his skinny legs and bandy knees. At first he feels left out at Jungle Dance events until a cricket offers some advice that changes everything: “Sometimes when you’re different, you need a different song”. After this breakthrough in thinking he found his rhythm and began swaying to his own sweet melody!
Children need to understand the value of accepting others as individuals and persisting through difficult times in order to achieve anything they set their mind to. Rhyming text and hilarious illustrations will capture young readers’ interest!
My 4.5 year-old daughter Kaavya chose this book from our mini library to read. She absolutely adored it! As an avid music listener, Kaavya was very pleased that this story revolves around music. She enjoyed listening to songs related to this story while discussing its relevance within context of this book. We will create a three-ring binder with all of these picture communication symbols so we can refer back to them again later.
I’ve always appreciated this book’s colorful cover art with vibrant giraffes – it makes it hard to resist picking it up! I also appreciate how its author and illustrator collaborate; with an easy rhyming text and whimsical drawings making this cute story easy for little readers to grasp! I highly recommend this book to any family looking for an enjoyable educational tale.
Characters
Giraffes Can’t Dance is an engaging children’s book with an important message: students learn to appreciate and accept both their own differences as well as those of others through this story. With its charming rhymed text and humorous illustrations, this book also serves to foster expressive language development while providing opportunities to introduce basic concepts like beat, rhythm and music.
Gerald the Giraffe is an embarassed dancer. When watching other jungle animals dance, but thinking giraffes can’t, he becomes demoralized about his dancing ability. When trying to join in the Jungle Dance with them all laughing at him when trying to join in himself he becomes sad, until one cricket encourages him and helps him find his own rhythm – eventually impressing everyone with his beautiful dancing.
Character Education: Giraffes Can’t Dance is an excellent book to spark classroom conversations about bullying, courage and respect. Additionally, this story allows students to practice inferring the emotions of characters based on their actions and words – for instance they might infer that Gerald initially felt embarrassed dancing but later found joy from it.
Author Giles Andreae is best known for writing the Edward Monkton and Purple Ronnie series of books, which has become immensely popular with young readers across England. Artist Guy Parker-Rees has illustrated several award-winning children’s books such as Giraffes Can’t Dance which captured young readers from its first page due to its vibrant, engaging illustrations that brought characters alive while adding depth and texture. Each scene was detailed perfectly so the reader was immersed into its tale from start to finish.
Illustrations
This picture book’s vibrant illustrations will captivate young readers. Their attention will be drawn to a giraffe who attempts to dance using only his long neck and skinny legs; young readers will want to know how he overcomes challenges to move freely with both body and soul.
Gerald excels at standing still and eating leaves from trees, but when it comes to dancing he can’t quite manage it. With crooked knees and thin legs causing him clumsy movements at dances such as annual jungle dances. At these events, Gerald often gets teased by friends for being different; one night after taking advice from a cricket, Gerald discovers his own rhythm of dancing!
No matter whether it is read to an individual child or as part of a class setting, students will enjoy discovering how music moves their bodies and souls – maybe they even try dancing themselves! Dancing can provide both exercise and an outlet to express emotion!
Rhyming text will capture young children’s interest and introduce the theme of self-confidence and how to overcome challenges, while simultaneously raising questions about our knowledge about ourselves and others.
Summary
Giraffes Can’t Dance is an engaging book designed to teach children that being different and doing things their own way is fine and that we should celebrate and appreciate each person’s individual talents. Filled with rhymed text and beautiful illustrations, this story provides children with the necessary lesson on individuality as well as plot structure – two essential components in helping children learn how to read.
Gerald the Giraffe is an engaging, rhyming story about an unfortunate giraffe who can’t dance and is taunted by jungle animals for it. However, with help from a cricket, Gerald learns how to dance by listening to certain musical notes.
Story telling can be used as an effective means of reaching speech and language targets as it uses many different speech sounds. Reading it aloud to children for the first time or using it during speech therapy sessions are great methods of doing just this.
This story is an effective way of exploring how music influences emotions and actions of its listeners, while simultaneously emphasizing the value of artistic and musical expression as forms of self-expression. Perfect for Common Core Standards!
The musical is an outstanding adaptation of the book that will take place at Oxford’s Blunderbus Theatre. Featuring talented performers of all ages and featuring an interpreter for those needing it – this wonderful production brings Gerald the Clumsy Giraffe to life on stage!