Giraffe Problems (Animal Problems #2)

Nora Ephron felt bad about her neck, and Cyrus the giraffe feels bad about his, too. "Yes, my neck is too necky. Everybody stares at it," he sighs. He confesses to embarrassment ("I've tried hiding it away") and compares his neck to others' ("Take a gander at this zebra's neck. Stripes always look good"). Edward, a turtle, has almost no neck at all, but he also feels bad: "I've felt like such a fool as I stretched my neck toward those greedy branches, only to be limited by my own physical shortcomings." It's easy for Cyrus to retrieve the banana Edward's been eyeing for days, a moment that warrants a vertical gatefold, and being able to help Edward gives Cyrus more satisfaction than all the empty reassurance he's been offered. In this follow up to Penguin Problems, Smith (Grandpa Green) uses earth-toned greens, golds, and browns to create all kinds of brushy, stroked, veined, and lined textures, and his characters' black eyes convey a wealth of emotions. Lighthearted palaver by John (The Bad Seed) flows effortlessly, and the pair's courtly manners ("That means a great deal to me, Edward") are sure to garner laughs as their shared dismay rings true. Ages 3-7. (Sept.)

PreS-Gr 2--In a follow-up to Penguin Problems, John and Smith team up again and bring their zany brand of comedy. Edward the giraffe has a problem with his neck--it's just too necky. Who wants such a long neck? "Everybody stares at it. This guy. That guy. Him. Her. Them. Whatever that is. Her again." Edward envies his fellow African animals, who generally respond unfavorably. When Edward admires the zebra's classic stripes, the zebra snaps, "Quit staring at me," but it takes a self-effacing turtle named Cyrus to convince him that his neck is just perfect. A foldout page reveals Edward using his neck for its intended purpose. In a beautiful introduction to the uniqueness of a giraffe's spots, Smith has created large, block-printed spots in natural colors to adorn the end pages. The textured print continues throughout, visible in the hides of animals, the bark of trees, and the textured ground of the African plain. Of course, there is the theme of self-acceptance and a bit of sublime silliness as well, especially in Edwards's fruitless attempts at camouflage and in the expressively simple eyes of Cyrus the turtle. VERDICT This book will appeal to older preschoolers as well as elementary school kids, and would lend itself perfectly to dramatic interpretation or an art lesson in sponge or block printing.--Lisa Taylor, Florida State College, Jacksonville