Tag: giraffe

Twins (Mike Ciccotello)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is Twins by Mike Ciccotello, a silly yet sweet tale of a rather unusual set of siblings.

Beings a twin is lots of fun: you always have a pal to play with, someone who knows you better than anyone else, and sometimes people can barely tell you apart! Of course, that’s not to say twins are exactly the same – even the things they like to do together, they might do differently (like building snowmen, or eating salad). They might even have fights or disagreements, just like all best friends, and need some space from each other for a while. But that’s the best thing about twins: they always come back together (after all, they’re a perfect pair… even if one of them is a giraffe).

A cute tale of twins from an author with twin sons, this reads as a straight and sentimental look at what it’s like to be part of a set of twins. The joke is in the illustrations – the twins are a little boy and his brother, a giraffe. This peculiar set of circumstances is never explained to the reader, and the joke seems to illustrate the legitimate point that each twin is very much their own autonomous person, even while they share this special bond with one another. It’s a gag that will amuse little ones, especially those who are twins or have siblings otherwise very close in age. The illustrations are a bit simple but very charming, and the length is fine. JJ enjoyed it fine, but this is definitely one that will mean more to the subjects of the story themselves; still, it’s Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

I Am Not A Chair! (Ross Burach)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is I Am Not A Chair! by Ross Burach, a silly story of a giraffe with a rather specific predicament.

It’s Giraffe’s first day in the jungle, and he is excited to make new friends… just one problem. For some strange reason, the other animals keep mistaking him for a chair… and sitting on him. He tries to speak up, but the animals, not realizing their mistake, inadvertently impede his power of speech in various ways. He tries to build a chair (which looks TOTALLY different from him, FYI) that the animals can use instead, but it backfires: now they just think there’s two chairs. Giraffe has had enough, and he vows that the next animal he sees, he will declare clearly and firmly that he is NOT A CHAIR! But will he maintain that resolve when the next animal is a – gulp! – hungry lion?

Goofy and fun. Using a healthy dose of outlandish visual humor and a plot that serves mainly to set up the next punchline, this is definitely a story written with kid-friendly humor in mind. It’s possible that a lesson in speaking up is intended as well, but it sort of gets lost in the comedy – especially when Giraffe, finally having broken the other animals of using him accidentally as a chair, does the very same thing to a turtle. However, the good-humored silliness in the story and wide-eyed, cartoonish characters and illustrations are enough that any deeper message becomes arbitrary. The length is fine, and JJ enjoyed it. A solid read to share a laugh to, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved.