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cadoca's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
laheath's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This has been on my to-read list for several years and I'm sorry I waited so long. It was such a beautifully written, coming-of-age tale, set mostly in 1938, about the cross-country transport of the first 2 giraffes in America from New York to the San Diego Zoo. Given the time period, the human characters faced challenges such as the Depression, the Dust Bowl, racism, sexism, and animal welfare. The Author's Note was interesting and informative, though I hope there never comes a day when readers are not already at least somewhat familiar with the issues discussed in the Historical Notes.
"In a long life, there is a singular moment when you know you've made more memories than any new ones you'll ever make. That's the moment your truest stories--the ones that made you the you that you became--are ever more in the front of your mind, as you begin to reach back for the you that you deemed best."
"Because if ever I could claim to have seen the face of God, it was in the colossal faces of the giraffes."
"Storytelling matters now. Emotion matters. Our imagination has become an ecological force."
"In a long life, there is a singular moment when you know you've made more memories than any new ones you'll ever make. That's the moment your truest stories--the ones that made you the you that you became--are ever more in the front of your mind, as you begin to reach back for the you that you deemed best."
"Because if ever I could claim to have seen the face of God, it was in the colossal faces of the giraffes."
"Storytelling matters now. Emotion matters. Our imagination has become an ecological force."
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Gun violence, Racism, Sexism, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Racial slurs, Suicide, Murder, Pregnancy, and War
klsbenzel's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
doxamully's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
mssarahdee's review against another edition
5.0
Loved this book, the story, the manner in which it was told, the emotions invoked. Knowing this book is based off of true events and people, and seeing the love and care of animals in the most unexpected of characters filled me with such raw emotion as I was reading. West with Giraffes is a beautiful story of historic animal advocates, laced with American History Tidbits.
This story also reignited my reason for journaling, and sharing my own stories with whomever will listen. I was touched by this one particular quote: “It is a foolish man who thinks stories do not matter—when in the end, they may be all that matter and all the forever we’ll ever know.”
This story also reignited my reason for journaling, and sharing my own stories with whomever will listen. I was touched by this one particular quote: “It is a foolish man who thinks stories do not matter—when in the end, they may be all that matter and all the forever we’ll ever know.”
lisaph's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
An interesting, entertaining & sometimes heartbreaking exploration of the Dust Bowl and depression - all revolving around the transport of 2 giraffes across America.
mjs73's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal cruelty and Suicide
annameix's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
tinlizzyd08's review against another edition
5.0
A beautiful story of adventure and love!
Ah, this story captivated me from the first page! I love a down on your luck main character, because truthfully, there have been many moments in my own life that I felt just like Woodrow Wilson Nickel, alone and scared and not knowing what was going to happen next in life.
That’s where Woody’s story begins. It’s 1938, and he’s a young homeless boy on the docks who just lived through a hurricane. He meets 2 giraffes coming off a ship having lived through that same hurricane and he is immediately mesmerized and connected to the majestic African animals. Woody has lost even the little he had in the hurricane and hears the giraffes are headed west to sunny California and so contrives a plan to follow them on their way to their final landing at the San Diego zoo.
America in the 1930s was such a wild and different place than what we know now, and hearing about Woody’s trip through the south and the west was riveting as he encountered bears, hobos, circus thieves and a beautiful redhead reporter. There are plenty of highs and lows to make the book entertaining but I mostly loved Woody’s inner journey as his story of growing up during the traumatic years of the Dust Bowl in Texas comes out in bits and pieces through the book. The journey becomes a rite of passage and an exploration of his self and his past and his possible future. Beautifully written and well worth the read!
Ah, this story captivated me from the first page! I love a down on your luck main character, because truthfully, there have been many moments in my own life that I felt just like Woodrow Wilson Nickel, alone and scared and not knowing what was going to happen next in life.
That’s where Woody’s story begins. It’s 1938, and he’s a young homeless boy on the docks who just lived through a hurricane. He meets 2 giraffes coming off a ship having lived through that same hurricane and he is immediately mesmerized and connected to the majestic African animals. Woody has lost even the little he had in the hurricane and hears the giraffes are headed west to sunny California and so contrives a plan to follow them on their way to their final landing at the San Diego zoo.
America in the 1930s was such a wild and different place than what we know now, and hearing about Woody’s trip through the south and the west was riveting as he encountered bears, hobos, circus thieves and a beautiful redhead reporter. There are plenty of highs and lows to make the book entertaining but I mostly loved Woody’s inner journey as his story of growing up during the traumatic years of the Dust Bowl in Texas comes out in bits and pieces through the book. The journey becomes a rite of passage and an exploration of his self and his past and his possible future. Beautifully written and well worth the read!