Independent Reading Level- Kindergarten-2nd
Awards- Nappa Honor Book

All Gerald Giraffe wants to do is dance. But dancing is hard for a lanky giraffe. At the annual Jungle Dance, Gerald saw all the other animals dancing well and when Gerald walked out, the animals started to laugh at him. Feeling sad, Gerald meets an unlikely friend, the cricket who tells him he just needs a new song. And Gerald lets go of his fears and sadness and dances and all of the jungle animals appear and cheer for him. This book reminds us that it is okay to be different and we don’t all dance to the same song.

A funny rhyming book about Gerald the tall giraffe with a long a slim neck and very crooked legs that render him uncoordianted.

All the animals in the jungle are having a wonderful time laughing and dancing -- all except Gerald who cannot dance. He is exceedingly sad by their sneering and mocking at him. Called weird, clumsy and a fool, Gerald watches the conga line and rooted to the spot he knows he is a useless fool who is the only animal who cannot dance.

Feeling forlorn, Gerald slinks off the dance floor. He happens upon a cricket who was watching Gerald and told him that maybe he needed a different song to dance to and that perhaps the lovely moon was playing just for him and that everything makes music fif you really believe it can.

Picking up his violin, the cricked smiled and began to play. Alas, Gerald's hooves began to move and made circles; then, his tail began to sway and swish round and round. Now, he got the attention of the previous group who made such nasty fun at him and they watched.

In a rhyming verse they noted it was a miracle and a dream and now Gerlad was the best dancer they ever seen! Gerladl knew dancing was possible if you found the right music.

Cute and insightful, this is a beautiful story for young children who are suffering through self doubt issues.

A giraffe goes to a party but is too awkward and shy to dance with all the other animals. Giraffe leaves the party but then hears a different kind of music and starts to dance in their own way.

Really enjoyed this one, I like that the giraffe doesn’t need to just get over their shyness, all they need is some privacy to be themself. ( )

Reading level: pk-3
Awards: Nappa Honor Book