Giraffe and Bird

Book excerpt: Rebecca Bender's hilarious Giraffe and Bird was an instant classic when it was first published in 2011, selling 10,000 copies in Canada alone. Since then children and their parents have giggled their way through a sequel, Don't Laugh at Giraffe (2012), and a prequel for younger readers, Giraffe Meets Bird (2015). Now, after several years out of print, the original story is rejoining its partners on the shelf in a sturdy, new trade edition with a padded cover. Giraffe and Bird are not friends. Not even a little bit. The bird pesters the giraffe with his face-making, feather-pruning, and disgusting eating habits. The giraffe annoys the bird with his bad breath, ear-swatting, and lack of respect for personal space. Of course they are always fighting. Of course they would be better off without each other. Except, it turns out, maybe they wouldn't be. With bold acrylic illustrations and laugh-out-loud storytelling, Rebecca Bender's bestselling debut will continue to delight children, adults, and friends of all kinds.