The White Giraffe by Lauren St. John
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Jul.12, 2011, under Adventure, Battle of the Books 2010-2011, Fantasy, Grief, Legend, Sam's Reviews
Who would like this book? Readers, grades 5 – 8, who love African animals and books that merge fantasy and reality.
Why? Martine Allen is living happily with her parents in England until the night of her eleventh birthday, when a fire tragically kills her parents. Her only relative is one she has never met – her aloof, cold grandmother, Gwyn Thomas, who runs a wildlife preserve in Africa. Gwyn holds all sorts of family secrets but refuses to explain anything to Martine. Frustrated, Martine looks for answers – and friendship – in unusual places. Stories about a legendary white giraffe captivate her, and after she believes that she saw the giraffe while looking out her window, she feels drawn to venture into the preserve at night against Gwyn’s strict orders. Magic merges with reality as Martine meets and bonds with the beautiful white giraffe whom she names Jemmy. Her mystical friendship with Jemmy pits her against the political world of poachers and allows her to discover great gifts within herself. Martine’s journey forces Gwyn to confront truths that she has feared for a long time, bringing the story to a rich and surprising climax. Though the combination of reality and fantasy is not seamless, it works well enough to make Martine an appealing and empathetic character.
This book is a 2011-2012 Battle of the books selection.
The details: 208 p. 2007 Review by Samrarian
