Pajama Press

It’s EASY to make Giraffe CROSS. It’s A CINCH to make Bird ANGRY. A comic adventure for preschoolers reveals the history of this squabbling pair.

Since 2011 Rebecca Bender’s award-winning Giraffe and Bird books have been tickling the funny bones of children and their families as the cantankerous cronies learn that friendship, while not always easy, is always worthwhile. But how did this unlikely pair become friends in the first place? In Giraffe Meets Bird, Bender’s bright acrylics and lively storytelling reveal the friends’ early days while pairs of scrumptious synonyms make her trademark rich vocabulary accessible to a new, younger audience.

When the egg in Giraffe’s tree first hatches, he is excited and eager. But the baby bird grows quickly, and he soon learns how to make Giraffe angry and annoyed. It doesn’t take long for Giraffe and Bird to start fighting over their tree. When danger forces them to work together, the two not-quite-friends realize they might not be able to share their home at all. Luckily, they come up with a solution that is surprising, startling, and absolutely stunning.

Honours and Awards:
2015 Resource Links“The Year’s Best” selection
2021 CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens Fall Selection

Reviews:
“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.”—Kirkus Reviews

“…warm, expressive acrylic illustrations… 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. A worthy purchase along with Bender’s other two books about Giraffe and Bird.”—School Library Journal

“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

“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’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

“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

“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