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Introduction
Giraffe’s Can’t Dance book read aloud – Gerald the giraffe longs to dance, but his legs are too skinny and his neck is too long. At the Jungle Dance, the warthogs waltz, the chimps cha-cha, and the lions tango. “Giraffes can’t dance,” they all jeer when it’s Gerald’s turn to prance. But with some sound advice from a wise cricket, Gerald starts swaying to his own sweet tune.
Giraffe’s Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae
Gerald was a tall Giraffe whose neck was long and slim. But his knees were awfully crooked and his legs were rather thin.
He was very good at standing still and munching shoots off trees.
But when he tried to run around, he buckled at the knees.
Now every year in Africa they hold the Jungle Dance, where every single animal turns up to skip and prance.
And this year when the day arrived poor Gerald felt so sad, because when it came to dancing he was really very bad.
The warthogs started waltzing and the rhinos rock ‘n’ rolled. The lion danced a tango that was elegant and bold.
The chimps all did a cha-cha with a very Latin feel, and eight baboons then teamed up for a splendid Scottish reel.
Gerald swallowed bravely as he walked toward the floor. But the lions saw him coming, and they soon began to roar. “Hey, look at clumsy Gerald,” Oh, Gerald, you’re so weird.”
Gerald simply froze up. He was rooted to the spot. They’re right, he thought. I’m useless. Oh, I feel like such a clot. So he crept off from the dance floor, and he started walking home. He’d never felt so sad before- so sad and so alone.
Then he found a little clearing, and he looked up at the sky. ” The moon can be so beautiful,” he whispered with a sigh. “Excuse me!” coughed a cricket who’d seen Gerald earlier on. “But sometime when you’re different you just need a different song.”
” Listen to the swaying grass and listen to the trees. To me the sweetest music in those branches in the breeze. So imagine that the lovely moon is playing just for you – Everything makes music if you really want it to.”
With that, the cricket smiled and picked up his violin. Then Gerald felt his body do the most amazing thing.
His hooves had started shuffling, making circles on the ground. His neck was gently swaying, and his tail was swishing round.
He threw his legs out sideways, and he swung them everywhere. Then he did a backward somersault and leapt up in the air.
Gerald felt so wonderful his mouth was open wide. ” I AM DANCING!” Gerald cried.
Then, one by one, each animal who’d been there at the dance arrived while Gerald boogied on and watched him, quite entranced. They shouted, “It’s a miracle! We must be in the dream. Gerald’s the best dancer that we’ve ever, ever seen!”
“How did you learn to dance like that? Please, Gerald, tell us how.”
But Gerald simply twirled around and finished with a bow.
Then he raised his head and looked up at the moon and star above. “We all can dance,” he said, ” when we find music that we love.”
Giraffes can’t Dance by Giles Andrese illustreted by Guy Parker Rees
Giraffe’s Can’t Dance Book Read Aloud Youtube Video
Questions To Help Kids Learn
We love this book and you might like to ask your child some of the following questions to help them get the most from the book.
How was the neck of Giraffe?
The neck was long and slim.
In which place, they hold the jungle dance?
Africa
When cricket smiled, what he picked up?
He picked up his violin.
Who is the writer Giraffe’s Can’t Dance?
Giles Andreae