About Don't Laugh at Giraffe
2013 OLA Blue Spruce Award runner-up
2014 Rainforest of Reading Award shortlist
2012 Resource Links "The Year's Best" selection
STARRED REVIEW "Don't Laugh at Giraffe is a warm, gentle tale with a good message and plenty of funny moments, making it a great choice for sharing. After all, the story reminds us, it's always better to laugh with a friend than at one."—Quill & Quire Starred Review
"Bender paints the animals against a bright savanna backdrop, emphasizing their emotional ups and downs with exaggerated facial expressions. The conversational text gracefully delivers a message about kindness and having a sense of humor."—Publishers Weekly
"Young readers will be able to internalize the lesson of empathy well, as it is so subtle; Bender does not preach at all, but merely shows her readers - largely with her beautiful illustrations - one option in this social situation."—Resource Links
"[Bender] knows when a picture, rather than words, should carry the story...A fun read, but one which still speaks to the meaning of friendship...Highly Recommended."—CM Magazine
"Author and illustrator Rebecca Bender has fashioned a delightful children's picture book for kids ages 4 through 7. It is one thing for people to laugh with one another in unison and quite another thing to laugh at others. Seeing his friend humiliated and unhappy brings out Bird's caring and creativity. Don't Laugh at Giraffe covers both the good and the bad sides of laughter."—Spirituality & Practice
"The relationships in Don't Laugh at Giraffe cleverly reflect the often-confusing relationships kids have with other kids. Figuring out how to be with others is tricky for children, and they will likely welcome the conversation the book can inspire. Bender's illustrations are gorgeous, colourful and lively."—Open Book Canada
"In this book, Rebecca examines the delicate nature of embarrassment and friendship...[C]hildren will go through many situations with their friends that they will have to grapple with and find solutions for. Having books on hand that show this as a normal process in friendships will support them in these journeys, and open the conversations with thinking about how to solve their own problems in a creative and positive way."—Toronto Public Library
"Bold acrylics fill the pages...[Bender] creates personalities with expressive visages (hard to do on a small bird) and morphologies, with lessons to teach and learn. Recognizing that we're all a little bit Giraffe and a little Bird makes them even more endearing."—CanLit for LittleCanadians
"The artwork is so expressive and appealing to the book's young audience...the author makes some sparkling decisions about word choice, encouraging an expressive and engaging shared reading."—Sal's Fiction Addiction
Bold acrylics fill the pages . . . [Bender] creates personalities with expressive visages (hard to do on a small bird) and morphologies, with lessons to teach and learn. Recognizing that we're all a little bit Giraffe and a little Bird makes them even more endearing.
CanLit or LittleCanadians
The relationships in Don't Laugh at Giraffe cleverly reflect the often-confusing relationships kids have with other kids. Figuring out how to be with others is tricky for children, and they will likely welcome the conversation the book can inspire. Bender's illustrations are gorgeous, colourful and lively.
The artwork is so expressive and appealing to the book's young audience . . . the author makes some sparkling decisions about word choice, encouraging an expressive and engaging shared reading.
"Bender's experiences in design and publishing...have served her well, helping her create the touchable, plush animals that are Bird and Giraffe. Bold acrylics fill the pages (try and find large sections of white anywhere) bringing the richness of the settings to act as companions for the distinct characters on which she focuses. But Rebecca Bender goes beyond just drawing animals in bold colours: she creates personalities with expressive visages (hard to do on a small bird) and morphologies, with lessons to teach and learn. Recognizing that we're all a little bit Giraffe and a little Bird makes them even more endearing."
CanLit for Little Canadians blog
"The artwork is so expressive and appealing to the book's young audience...The colors are bright, the setting is lush and lovely, and the characters close-up and personal...I also love the constantly changing design and the many perspectives that give this funny (and tender) story life. As with the first, the author makes some sparkling decisions about word choice, encouraging an expressive and engaging shared reading. We can only hope that we will meet these two again!"
Sal's Fiction Addiction blog
Author and illustrator Rebecca Bender has fashioned a delightful children's picture book for kids ages 4 through 7. It is one thing for people to laugh with one another in unison and quite another thing to laugh at others. Seeing his friend humiliated and unhappy brings out Bird's caring and creativity. Don't Laugh at Giraffe covers both the good and the bad sides of laughter.
[Bender] knows when a picture, rather than words, should carry the story . . . A fun read, but one which still speaks to the meaning of friendship . . . **Highly Recommended.**
In this book, Rebecca examines the delicate nature of embarrassment and friendship . . . [C]hildren will go through many situations with their friends that they will have to grapple with and find solutions for. Having books on hand that show this as a normal process in friendships will support them in these journeys, and open the conversations with thinking about how to solve their own problems in a creative and positive way.
Young readers will be able to internalize the lesson of empathy well, as it is so subtle; Bender does not preach at all, but merely shows her readers - largely with her beautiful illustrations - one option in this social situation.
Don't Laugh at Giraffe is a warm, gentle tale with a good message and plenty of funny moments, making it a great choice for sharing. After all, the story reminds us, it's always better to laugh with a friend than at one. **Starred Review**
PreS-Gr 1—In this sequel to Giraffe and Bird (Dancing Cat Bks., 2010), the sparring duo continue their unlikely friendship. Rowdy Bird instigates trouble by waking Giraffe with his loudest, chirpiest song. This results in a race that causes them to stumble over one another, making them thirsty. Bird has no trouble joining the zebra, hippo, and flamingo in the pond to cool off, but the low water level makes it difficult for the giraffe to reach down for a drink. His attempts to squat by the edge of the pond without getting his hooves wet elicit guffaws and cackles from the others. When he falls in, their mocking laughter embarrasses the giraffe so much that he slinks away and drinks from a mud puddle. Feeling sorry, the bird comes up with an idea. When they return to the pond, Bird acts so silly that the other animals laugh along-even Giraffe, who is no longer upset. Although the friends reconcile, it is unclear how this helps Giraffe overcome his fear of getting wet. The bright illustrations of acrylic on texturized illustration board are inset with small, square pictures that aptly convey the animals' expressions. The text includes lots of action words and sound effects to move the story along, but the lack of apology from the animals who tease the giraffe and the inexplicable resolution to his fear leave the story lacking.—Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT
An unlikely duo seems to have little rapport with each other until an inordinate amount of teasing leads to some remorse on the part of one friend, while the other becomes less sensitive. Shy Giraffe and boisterous Bird have a tenuous relationship made all the more vexing by their continual annoyance with each other. After one such exchange, in which each reacts negatively to the other's obnoxious behavior, they both become quite thirsty and take a visit to the pond. While Bird drinks and plays in the water hole, he neglects to notice Giraffe's difficulty in reaching the water without getting his hooves wet. And when the other savanna animals see the gentle, long-necked soul clumsily squat in order to reach the low pond, they howl and make merciless fun of his awkwardness. Upset and embarrassed, Giraffe leaves to quench his thirst in a nearby puddle. Bird's momentary regret gives him an idea to help Giraffe recover, with some good-natured ribbing of the others as a bonus. In the end everyone, including Giraffe, is laughing together. Large, cartoonish, brightly hued acrylics on texturized board are integral to conveying the fun in the sparsely worded text, which is filled with onomatopoeia. Yet the story's theme is ambiguous--children may not leave it understanding the difference between good-natured banter and mockery--and Giraffe's sudden decision that he doesn't mind getting his hooves wet is illogical. Ultimately unsatisfying. (Picture book. 4-6)
