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Children, ages 2 to 3, who have been read to several times a day, did substantially better in kindergarten than youngs... More
Summary: When the Zambezi River dried up, the giraffes did not have enough water to quench their thirsts. They also had to go on long searches for food, because other animals ate the leaves. The giraffes prayed to the Tree God for help, but he couldn't help, because to make leaves, the trees needed water. The Tree God went in search of help all of the other gods of sea, land, and air. They learned, that they needed each other to create nature's bounty. This is an illustrated folkale.
Type of Reading: bedtime story, anytime reading, family reading, early reader, read aloud book, reluctant reader
Recommended Age: read together: 5 to 9; read yourself: 8 to 10
Interest Level: 7 to 10
Reading Level: 3.3
Age of Child: Read by an 8-year-old girl. She participated in a youth ministry project at Effort Baptist Church helping our Use Your ABCs project.
Little Kid Reaction: I picked this book because I like giraffes very much. This was Okay, but a little boring and predictable. I think that a few people would like it because it teaches.
Big Kid Reaction: There is a lot of text and repetition in this story. Although the characters are different, the elements remind you of other folktales that talk about Mother Nature and the need for sun, rain, light, and wind.
Pros: Children who like folktales will enjoy this version of how the elements of nature work together to create the ecosystem.
Cons: The book's title is misleading. The story opens with the giraffes looking for food and water, but they sleep almost the entire book while the gods figure out what to do.
Borrow or Buy: Skip. There are stronger folktales out there.
Educational Themes: When you strip away the folktale elements (e.g., the gods), the story presents a useful, elementary explanation of the weather cycle.
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