Giraffe Meets Bird (Giraffe and Bird #1)

Attractive, bright acrylics give Bender's animal characters personality, especially fuzzy, cantankerous Bird, and her friendship story is nicely modulated, with vocabulary lessons neatly tucked in. Sincerely sweet.

PreS-Gr 1--When Giraffe and Bird first meet, they express a plethora of positive adjectives to describe their friendship, followed by several less favorable feelings when they both discover that establishing a relationship is not always easy. Giraffe is "surprised," "amazed," and "fascinated" to meet his small, newly hatched buddy until he soon finds it easy to become "cross" with him, and Bird, in turn, finds it a "cinch" to become "angry" with Giraffe. Communication and compromise continues to be touch and go until the moment that both unite to escape a common enemy: Lion. Then they set off together (along with three useful elephants) to find a new home to share. This is Bender's third installment about Giraffe and Bird, who always have something to squabble about but ultimately realize that they are still much better off together. Bender's warm, expressive acrylic illustrations well suit the pair's mercurial moods, from both animal's wide-eyed fascination to their grumpy glares. The lion that creeps up on the defenseless bird, as he sits unaware, innocently stares at his prey, minimizing the fear of younger readers who may suspect a quick and perilous end to the smaller creature. With or without the pithy array of synonyms, the story's overall message is what leaves the biggest impression: relationships are hard work, requiring tolerance and understanding, but are well worth the effort. VERDICT A worthy purchase along with Bender's other two books about Giraffe and Bird.--Etta Anton, Yeshiva of Central Queens, NY

About Giraffe Meets Bird

2015 Resource Links The Year's Best selection

2021 CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens Fall Selection

"Bender's acrylic illustrations are bright and expressive, and she depicts a range of emotions through the friends' eyes and body positions...kids will relate as it so aptly depicts the complex beauty of friendships."—National Reading Campaign

"In contrast to many books for preschool and young readers, the author introduces a rich and varied vocabulary to express the emotions felt by both the characters...The text is accompanied with delightful, full page coloured, acrylic illustrations by the author...This will be a wonderful book to share with younger children to feature unlikely friendships and explore emotions."—Resource Links Magazine

"Bender's bold acrylic illustrations will sometimes amusingly tell a story that differs from what the text reports...An excellent addition to the Giraffe and Bird series. Highly Recommended."—CM Magazine

"With gorgeous illustrations done in vibrant acrylics, Giraffe Meets Bird tells how an unlikely friendship developed between these two. Good for reading aloud, this vibrant picture book tells an important lesson: despite minor clashes, true friends will be there when you most need them."—Winnipeg Free Press

"Bender gives us memorable and lovable characters....[S]he uses words that are synonymous to describe their relationship. It allows her young readers to build vocabulary without really knowing that it is happening."—Sal's Fiction Addiction

"[T]he board book must be judged on its own merits, and it does work as such. With this introduction to the animal pair, hopefully the maturing versions of these young readers will later meet the rest of the picture book series, including the original Giraffe Meets Bird."—CM Magazine

"[B]oth funny and honest about friendships. With a clear focus on illustrating eye contact and facial expressions, Bird and Giraffe have an intensive friendship when it comes to communicating."—Where The Board Books Are