Giraffes Ruin Everything

It’s hard to believe that there’s anything worse that having to hang out with a younger sibling, but Schulz (Hook’s Revenge) and Robertson (Little Miss Liberty) have found it: a giraffe. Their redheaded narrator just can’t shake a pesky giraffe that is always in the way. “A giraffe will eat the ice cream right off your cone from half a block away,” the boy notes as the giraffe uses its neck to be as intrusive as possible. “A giraffe will win at hide and seek,” he continues, startled out of a nap by the grinning animal. “Even if you are not playing.” But when the boy is himself accused of ruining everything and the giraffe bails him out, he discovers a new reserve of empathy. In an age where hurling accusations about someone else’s shortcomings has become something of a social norm, this is a gentle but firm reminder that patience and understanding have their rewards. Robertson’s easygoing cartooning, with its hints of 1960s-style animation, makes it an easy lesson to learn. Ages 5–7. Author’s agent: Brooks Sherman, Bent Agency. (Aug.)