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A Giraffe and a Half (by Shel Silverstein)

common sense media says

Shel Silverstein collection is sweetly upbeat.

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that the road is clear: There's nothing here content-wise to worry about. The story invites readers to pile on, the writing is light and freewheeling, and the artwork so full of life that it might topple off the page at any moment.

Violence & scariness: Not applicable.
Language: Not applicable.
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More on A Giraffe and a Half

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about how the author uses lively prose and vivid drawings to tell a story with silly overtones. Do you notice a pattern in the way the author uses words that rhyme? Can you think of other words that rhyme with "giraffe" and "half"? Or "rat" and "hat"? Or "suit" and "cute"? Kids can also try writing a short poem of their own and illustrating it with crayons, markers, or paint.

What's the story?

What's the story?
Take a giraffe, stretch it by another half, and add a rat in a hat and a rose on his nose and a whole lot more, and you have the makings of a madcap Shel Silverstein cumulative tale. The verse is sweetly upbeat, and the line drawings--as always with Silverstein--speak volumes more than their spare elegance would indicate.

 

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
There is a brightness to Shel Silverstein's humor that makes one glad to be alive. His craziness is often just this side of impossible; who knows, you may find yourself in one of his situations someday, if you are so lucky. Everyone has to laugh and dream, which is why Silverstein has sold a gazillion books -- and bully for him.

Silverstein enjoys coming full circle in his stories, and the same holds true here. Up, up, up the tale climbs, threatening a drop into chaos with each new step, and then slowly readers exhale as, one by one, the elements surrender to whatever odd fate lies in wait for them. The line drawings, too, are operatic in their gestures and give each character real distinction.

Book themes & details

Book Details
Author: Shel Silverstein
Illustrator: Shel Silverstein
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
Publication date: May 1, 1975
Number of pages: 48
Hardcover price: $15.99
This review was written by Peter Lewis
 
 

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