Elem. – The Chalk Giraffe

Paxton, Kirsty. The Chalk Giraffe. Capstone Editions, 2020. 978-1-684-46096-0. Unpaged. $17.95. Grades PreK-2.

A little girl draws a giraffe on the pavement in chalk, and then she imagines that he comes to life. Her giraffe, however, is unhappy, and starts asking her to draw other objects to appease him. She eventually grows frustrated and erases the giraffe, only to draw him again the next day. This time, the giraffe draws her into the picture, too, and she is finally able to see that he is simply lonely. After she draws some other animals, including another giraffe, her chalk friend finally begins to smile. A beautiful story about companionship and seeing the world through someone else’s perspective, this imaginative book is sure to convey some important messages to young readers.

THOUGHTS: Rhyming verses make this a delightful read aloud. Pair it with Fiona Roberton’s A Tale of Two Beasts (2015) for a lesson on different points of view, or use it to introduce a chalk art lesson. Have students think about what makes them happy and draw their own picture that includes all of their favorite things.

Picture Book          Julie Ritter, PSLA Member

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