Beth Anderson, Children's Writer

It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday, and here’s the perfect book for little ones ready to hit the slopes! 

 

Title: Teach Your Giraffe to Ski

Written by: Viviane Elbee

 Illustrated by: Danni Gowdy

Whitman 2018

Suitable for ages: 4-8

Themes/topics: skiing, learning something new

Opening:

Uh-oh. It’s snowing and your giraffe wants you to teach her to ski.

Offer hot chocolate.

Offer to make snow giraffes.

Offer…

Great spotties! Your giraffe is galloping toward the ski slopes…

Overview:

Your giraffe wants to learn how to ski—but not on the bunny hill. She wants to go down the big scary slope! Enjoy this riotous journey as the narrator tries to reign their giraffe in—and learns something about courage along the way.

Activities and Resources:

• Did you ever try to ski? What other new activity have you tried to learn? Write about your own experience. What’s important to know? What are some steps in learning? What are some safety tips?
• Make a T-chart with the DOs and DON’Ts of skiing. Make a chart for another activity.
• What would you like to learn to do? Why?
• Writing: What could you teach someone? Write a “how-to.” For extra fun, imagine you’re teaching your favorite animal.

Why I like this book:

Take a peek out the window – any snowflakes? Might be time for an outing! This book offers a fun way to introduce skiing to a young child before you get to the bunny hill. And after kids have had their own slips, tangles, and falls, they will recognize all the terms and tips in the story: pizza, French fries, magic carpet and all the rest. The narrator speaks to the reader as the child character chases after a daredevil giraffe who’s anxious to hit the slopes. The child, playing the role of the adult, gets past his fears to help his giraffe. As a writer, I found this book an interesting combination of narrative and how-to writing.

 

Visit author Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Books for a plethora of picture books listed by title and topic/theme, each with teacher/parent activities and resources.