We’ve got some suggestions, and we’d love to hear yours too…
Giraffes Can't Dance: What to Read Next
First published in 1999, this joyous celebration of Gerald the gangly giraffe finding that he can indeed dance has delighted countless families. The winning combination of Giles Andreae’s bouncy rhyming text and Guy Parker-Rees’s energetic, colourful illustrations make for a fun and positive reading experience. But once you’ve read all of their other books, where to turn next?
Books to make you get up and dance
Gerald giraffe is so keen to dance that he finds a way to enjoy it. If gleeful movement is what the children in your life love, then try Dance Just Like So! by Annemarie Anang and Natelle Quek, where Gran and Kwesi learn some very special dance moves together.
Luna Loves Dance by Joseph Coelho and Fiona Lumbers puts dancing into the context of dance classes, showing children that you’re still a dancer even if you don’t pass a dance exam.
Finally, in The Twirly Wiggly Dance by Farrah Riaz and Navya Raju, Intisar wants to perform a dance at her aunt’s wedding and is keen to get it right. There is a warm, supportive family in all of these books.
Stories about being true to yourself
It’s only when Gerald giraffe ignores the other animals and dances to his own tune that he finds his self-confidence. If this message chimes with you, try Frida the Rock-and-Roll Moth by Kim Hillyard has Frida the moth changing her clothes, her songs and her guitar in order to fit in with the other moths. Needless to say, she discovers it’s best to be true to herself.
Similarly, the very funny When Cookie Crumbled by Michelle Robinson and Tom Knight has Michael the cookie wanting to stand out from the batch, but this is frowned upon by the others. Can he convince them that it’s better if everyone is individual?
Sometimes, though, it’s tough to be different, and the gently encouraging I am Brave by Caryl Hart and Zoe Waring acknowledges all the situations that you can be brave in, from choosing not to join in if you don’t want to, to climbing up the high slide at the park.
Friends who have your back
Without the kind cricket who suggests Gerald listens to the songs in nature, Gerald would have no confidence. We all need encouragement from our friends and to learn how to give that to others. The Frank and Bert series by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros models supportive friendship beautifully. In the first book, Bert is not as good at hiding as he thinks he is (clearly hidden behind a slender tree, for instance), and Frank is too kind to point it out. The reader will enjoy seeing what Bert can’t, and considering the dynamics between the characters.
Similarly, in My Friend Fred by Frances Watts and A. Yi, the unseen narrator shows how very different Fred the dog and they themselves are, yet they are of course good friends. (Will you guess who the friend is?)
Finally, you can be a supportive friend even if you’ve only just met someone. The chatty tour guide in The Tour at School: Because You’re the New Kid! by Katie Clapham and Nadia Shireen initially fails to spot the new kid’s nervousness. But she finds a way to help. Heart-warming!
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Those are some of our ideas – but what about you? Let us know by messaging us on social media @BookTrust