 Zeraffa was a female giraffe who lived in the Jardin des Plantes in Paris for 18 years. She was a gift from Muhammad Ali of Egypt to King Charles X of France. Magical watercolor illustrations, with detailed decorative patterns bring exotic Zeraffa’s 2,000 mile journey down the Nile, three-week sail across the sea, and 550 mile walk across France to life. When she arrived in 1827, all of Paris fell in love with her. Bakers even baked giraffe biscuits. The beautiful, lush text creates a fairytale sense of wonder in this true story. An author’s note tells more about Zeraffa. mjw |
| Title: Zeraffa Giraffa Author: Dianne Hofmeyer Illustrator: Jane Ray Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books Copyright: 2014 Original language: English ISBN: 978-1847803443 Hardcover pages: 40 Age range: 5-8 Genre: Picture book Book setting: France Author’s residence: England Illustrator’s residence: England Awards: Sunday Times Culture Magazine Children’s Book of the Week Subjects: Africa, Egypt, Europe, France, Giraffes, Human-animal relationships, Northern Africa, Paris, Sudan, Western Europe, Zoo animals |
Zeraffa Giraffa
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Toda is forced to flee her village as war escalates in her unnamed country. When her father, a pastry chef, leaves to defend his country, she is sent to live with her mother across the border. Her journey is frightening and fascinating and filled with struggles, misunderstandings, and hope. Fear never overwhelms innocent and frank Toda as she tries to make sense of the war-torn world around her. The author uses Toda’s off-beat sense of humor to point out the absurdity of war. Gentle line drawings offer comic relief and further insight into what this young refugee goes through. mjw
Parisian eight-year-old Ronnie, short for Myron, visits his grandparents and rowdy older cousins in England, while his parents move apartments. It is his first vacation away from his mama. There is a competition to see who can shower the least, a wild bike ride without helmets, the family tradition of jumping off the ten-foot diving board, and the shame of having his bathing suit slip off in the pool. This touching, funny story of Ronnie’s growth from timid mama’s boy to confidence and independence is written in journal format with energetic, expressive watercolor images. mjw
Absent-minded Mister Whistler wakes up with a song in his head and a dance in his feet. He gets dressed in dotted boxer shorts, checked trousers, a striped shirt, a waistcoat, a jacket, a fur-collared coat, and his hat. But he is distracted and promptly loses his train ticket. His search for his ticket involves him dancing out of his clothes down to his boxer shorts, only to discover that the ticket was clenched between his teeth the whole time. He gets dressed again, boards the train, but then swallows his ticket. Energetic ink and watercolor drawings and flowing musical notes reveal a happy, hilarious ending. mjw
When Stanley Potts’s Uncle Ernie, who cans pilchards, sardines, and mackerel in the living room, tins Stanley’s beloved goldfish, Stanley decides to leave home. He joins a traveling carnival of wacky characters and gets a job washing plastic ducks for the “Hook A Duck” master, Mr. Dostoyevsky. He meets Pancho Pirelli, who swims with piranhas and believes that Stanley could be his successor. Wonderful and quirky things happen to “good and true” Stanley as he seeks his own way. Stylized cartoon drawings add humor. mjw
In 2002, ten-year-old Enaiatollah Akbari’s village in Afghanistan fell prey to the Taliban. His mother sent him alone to fend for himself. Dangerous border crossings, trekking on foot across snow-covered mountains in Turkey, hiding in a false bottom of a truck, and steering an inflatable dinghy to Greece are some of the seemingly insurmountable and unimaginable obstacles he faced on his five year journey to Italy, where he sought political asylum. This is an incredible story of courage, hope, and survival reconstructed from Eniat’s memories by Italian novelist Fabio Geda. A map of Eniat’s journey is included. mjw
While on an expedition to the Himalayas, aristocratic young Lady Agatha Farlingham is kidnapped by a yeti father and his family. She stays to teach the kindly yeti English speech, good manners, and fairytales. Decades later, she transports the yetis back to her ancestral home in England for safety. They journey through Asia and Europe, liberate a zoo, save Alpine rescue dogs, and interrupt a Spanish bullfight. Upon arrival to England, the yetis are met by hateful Abominable snowman hunters. But, British school children and royalty save the day in this whimsical story with its message of human rights and environmentalism. mjw
This lively rhyme with bright, avant-garde illustrations tells of a lady who gets on the train with a suitcase, a hatbox, a couch, a painting, a package, a pouch, and a cute little pooch. During the journey, an enormous shaggy dog is substituted for the pooch. When the astonished woman claims her baggage, she is told that her dog grew up on the trip. This is a reproduction in size and layout of the Russian book, which was first published in 1926 to mold the minds of the children of the revolution. The original Russian text is included. mjw
Travel the world and explore cultural similarities and differences in the United States, France, Nigeria, Italy, Russia, Brazil, India, Australia, England, and Japan. Inviting short verses describe the vibrant, busy cityscapes. More than eighty hidden flaps open to reveal lively details. A woman makes a call in a phone box in London, a violinist steps onstage at the Sydney Opera House, ballerinas take class in Russia, and a man rides a camel in Nigeria. The challenge is to identify the many landmarks, flags, and clues.mjw
Mr. Leon, in his orange taxi, takes an intriguing assortment of passengers on a trip around the world without ever leaving Paris. Jeanette, the hairdresser goes to Scissor Row. A mummy motors to Pyramid Street via Cairo Place. A poultry peddler travels to Chicken Street from Hen Road and Cockerel Street, steering clear of Fox Boulevard. Each passenger is linked to his origin or destination. The book contains a map of Paris where readers can explore the real locations. Surreal, retro-styled illustrations provide quirky details. mjw
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