You can discuss and explore giraffes any time of the year. This post shares giraffe picture books that you can use for this purpose. All of the picture books on this list lend themselves to this topic really well. Take a peek below to learn more about these Giraffe Picture Books!
3 Giraffe Picture Books
Below is a list of some of our favorite giraffe picture books to share with elementary students. Check them out!
1. Giraffes Can’t Dance by Sally Lloyd-Jones
H and Baby Em and Little O lived in their apartment in the city. They had three goldfish: Barracuda and Patch and Fiss. It was summer, and the children enjoyed looking at the old fountain outside their window. It was broken and covered in ivy, but their grandfather told them stories of what the fountain used to be like.
Back before people had cars, people got around the city by riding horses. They horses would stop at the fountain for water and children even splashed and played in the fountain.
One day, the children noticed a sign on the fountain. The city was going to have a goldfish vacation in the fountain that summer. The children rushed home to tell their fish and grandpa. As it got closer to the vacation, the children watched a man start to clean up the fountain. He added water, reeds and lily pads.
On the first day of the vacation, many children gathered at the fountain to drop off their fish. Throughout the summer, the children returned to visit their goldfish. Soon, they came to the fountain to see all the other children. Grandpa sat with them and told everyone stories of what the fountain was like when he was a boy.
At the end of the summer, all of the children went into the fountain to get their fish. They jumped and splashed just like Grandpa did many years before.
Check out these Giraffe’s Can’t Dance teaching resources and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging read aloud lessons!
2. Neck and Neck by Elise Parsley
Leopold the giraffe is a popular attraction at the zoo. Children squeal over how tall his neck is and Leopold loves the admiration. One day, Leopold finds he has some competition at the zoo, a giraffe balloon!
A little boy is holding the balloon, and thinks it is better than the real thing. Leopold is jealous and tries to compete. He can grin, zoom and bounce just like the giraffe but the balloon is still competition.
Leopold tries to solve his problem by popping it, only to find the boy returns with even more balloons!
The boy accidentally lets go of the balloons and they drift up into Leopold’s favorite tree. He must decide whether or not to save them. When he does, Leopold finally gets the boy’s admiration and all is well again at the zoo.
Check out these Neck and Neck teaching resources and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging read aloud lessons!
3. Giraffe Problems by Jory John and Lane Smith
Giraffe Problems by Jory John is about a giraffe named Gerald who does not like his neck. He thinks it is too long, bendy, narrow, dopey, patterned, stretchy, high, lofty, and too necky. Gerald thinks everyone stares at it. He tries to cover it up with scarves and bowties, but nothing seems to make him feel better.
The one day Gerald comes across Cyrus, a turtle who thinks his own neck is too short. He admires Gerald’s neck and all the great things Gerald can do with his neck. He asks for Gerald’s help reaching a banana from a tree.
Gerald and Cyrus learn a lesson about strengths and weaknesses and appreciating what you have.
Check out these Giraffe Problems teaching resources and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging read aloud lessons!
Grab the Free Reading Resources!
In closing, we hope you found this list of giraffe picture books helpful! They are part of our Starts With a Story collection. If you want to get more book ideas to read aloud to your elementary students, then grab this reading freebie. It includes read aloud books lists, reading logs, and reading challenges for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classroom teachers. It will have you covered for the entire school year, as well as the summer months! Grab this free elementary reading packet now!
