A Giraffe and a Half

Silverstein, S. (1964). A giraffe and a half. New York: HaprerCollins.

I chose this book because there was a Shel Silverstein book on the recommended list in the textbook, but I had already read it.  Since I had already read that book, I had my school’s SLMS recommend another one of his books to me.  This book falls into the genre of poetry because it evokes an emotion with the reader.  For most, I think it will cause them to laugh and think of other wild and crazy events on their own. 

Students will enjoy this book because it is silly and could be like something they may think up in their imaginations.  Also, this poetry book is predictable the way it follows a pattern.  I read it aloud to my 6 year old nephew and he was able to tell me that each page builds onto each other.  Every other page says the same thing and adds on a new line from the page before.  A little more than halfway through the book, the pattern reverses.  Things start going back the way they came and it goes back to the way it began. 

Students will also enjoy this book because it rhymes.  It is not every line or every other line that rhymes, the rhyming is within one line.  I think some students will be able to predict that this is a rhyming poetry book by the title, A Giraffe and a Half.  The illustrations in this book will also keep students engaged.  They depict the silly images of the poem.  There is no color in this book, just lined outline drawings of the images.  It does not seem like it is lacking though, because of the details in the pictures. 

This book has a hardcover with a dust jacket.  The front flap has a few excerpts from the book will small illustrations.  Then at the bottom, it encourages the reader to read on.  The back flap has 4 short excerpts and illustrations from some of Shel Silverstein’s other books.

Big Question:  If you had a giraffe, what would you do with it?  What other creatures might the giraffe and a half run into?  Have you ever wished that you had more of something until to find out what you had was enough?  Discuss this and how it made you feel.