Giraffe Is Too Tall for This Book

by D.K. Ryland

Furry, feathered, and scaled―all our animal friends are ready to read. But there’s just one big Giraffe is too tall!

(Or, rather, the book is too short.)

Come along for a special story time featuring six friendly animals and one puzzling predicament. Bright speech bubbles encourage readers to take an active role and find creative solutions as this wild squad works together to save story time.

Using their bodies and minds, the animals persevere through a hilarious adventure, revealing that sometimes it’s not ourselves we need to change―it’s the book!

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Humor, Storytime, Childrens, Friendship, Juvenile

40 pages, Hardcover

First published October 17, 2023

Reviews

[Hezekiah Huang]

Cute but pointless

[Nadina]

Super cute and fun. Not too much text on each page, interactive. Perhaps not ideal for storytime.

[Emily Haage]

3.5

Funny, interactive read-aloud for story time.

[Kacey Lundgren]

So cute! Very simple story. Adorable art. I caught my kiddo flipping through all the pages again and again on her own. Win!

[Kathy Temean]

This book is so much fun. I love how DK's introduced the animal characters with them talking to the reader.

ELEPHANT says: Oh, PEANUTS! Where are we?

LEPARD says: Considering there’s a reader looking at us, I’d say we are in a book.

SNAKE says: Oh, yeah! Hi, reader!

FLAMINGO says: WeIl . . . not all of ussss are in a book

GIRAFFE says: WAH! I’m too tall for this book!

On the next page, we see Giraffe's body with no head and drops of water coming down from where his head and eyes would be, falling onto Little Mouse.

Little MOUSE says: Why don’t you bring your neck down here? 

This is such a cute and smart start to the book. It totally grabbed my attention. Then the chaos and funny banter between the animals starts. Kids will love it. I can hear them laughing now. The rest of the book is just as funny and cute as the beginning when the animals start asking the reader to turn the book in different directions to help them fit inside. By the end of the book, they think they've almost got it right until Elephant says: Except when I stand up. I think I might be too wide for this book and Flemingo says: You aren’t too wide. This book is too narrow! and Lepard says: Oh no, here we go again . . . .

I totally enjoyed DK's illustrations and her fun characters, too. What a hilarious book.

[Rebecca Gardyn]

Kids will love this interactive meta book that asks them to help Giraffe, Elephant, Snake, Cheetah and Flamingo figure out how they can all fit inside the pages comfortably. Like Herve Tullet’s PRESS HERE (another book I absolutely love!) this story invites the reader to do their part by turning the book this way and that. While on its surface, the story appears to be pure fun (and it is!), it also has subtle messages about inclusivity and perspective as well as brainstorming, problem-solving, and teamwork. The illustrations are eye-popping, with bright colors set against a white background (snd the end papers are ADORBS!). I also have to mention how much I adore this line in Ms. Ryland’s bio: “She has never been stuck inside a book before, but gets lost in them often.” (Oh, girl. Same. Same!)

[Cat]

As an elementary school
ILA, I'm reading this, along with 19 other picture books on the 2025-2026 Young Hoosier Book Award Nominees list, to 14 classes. Students will vote on their favorite in April.

Cute pictures. Probably not great for a relaxing bedtime story, but ok as a class or school library read-aloud. I read to three classes each 1st-4th grade and two Kindergarten classes. K-4th grade enjoyed with the sweet spot being 1st grade at my school.

The book went for the low-hanging humor fruit with a "butt" reference, by Elephant. The kids will remember the book as funny just because of that one reference. They were also amused when the book had to be turned in an attempt to make Giraffe fit on the pages.

I really struggled to get into this one one.

[Cheryl]

I should like it because it's meta, and I guess that aspect is ok. But it's just too silly for me. And proportions are way off. For a story about a giraffe that has trouble fitting in a book, in a better book, try Abigail.

Impulse at the library because it was on display near a giraffe skeleton that they're borrowing for "Unearth a Story" summer program. The skeleton is very cool. Shows long legs and relatively few neck vertebrae clearly, if one takes the time to look.

(Speaking of neck vertebrae, a real giraffe could not bend the way the one in the book does. So, bad science, too.)

[Sylvia Chen]

This is such a charming and clever book! With endearing characters and fun movements tied to requests for readers to help, GIRAFFE IS TOO TALL FOR THIS BOOK stands out for its entertaining meta premise with animal faves for kids. Ryland expertly weaves in varied voices full of personality, amusing dialogue, and engaging reader interactions. This book focuses on team problem-solving, changes in perspective, and inclusion for all body types—and is sure to induce giggles for each delightful spread. A most recommended read!

[Kathryn Sue]

Beautifully illustrated and thoughtfully written, Giraffe Is Too Tall for This Book will capture children's attention from the start, bright, colorful and incredibly interactive. This story is so sweet and thoughtful with animal friendships caring and problem solving together. With fun page turning and unexpected surprises, this interactive children's book will capture hearts and attention for years to come. I can't say enough about this treasure, I am looking forward to more books by DKRyland.

[Pam]

I received an electronic ARC from Page Street Kids through the SLJ Day of Dialogue.
Interactive book for younger readers. We meet various animal characters and discover that giraffe is too tall to be seen. The characters problem solve to try to see all of them. They ask the readers to move the book which leads to plenty of humor in the illustrations. A delightful book for families and preschools.

[Kelsey Gross]

GIRAFFE IS TOO TALL FOR THIS BOOK by D.K. Ryland is a playful, interactive picture book that invites readers to help the characters creatively solve a problem. The animal drawings are delightful, and it has perfect kid humor that will leave kids laughing out loud!! Themes of friendship, inclusion, teamwork, and persistence come through. I highly recommend this book! It’s a fun read-aloud to enjoy at school and at home.

[Christina Shawn]

This is a perfect read aloud for the classroom or snuggled up at home. This book is sweet, funny, and interactive.
Giraffe proves to have the kind of friends we all hope for. They won't let him be left out of the book, they reassure him that there is absolutely nothing wrong with him, and they work together (and with the reader) to figure out a solution. Plus, they are pretty funny. This is a book children will want to read over and over again, and you won't mind one bit. It's that much fun.

[Pooja Nukala]

Love this fun, interactive book! I love how the characters hook you to the story problem right from the start. I can see young readers getting busy with trying to "help" the other animals fit the giraffe in. So fun! The characters look adorable especially the snake with its "ssss" voice. I'm sure this book will get a lot of love from kids who enjoy interactive books that break the fourth wall. Overall, a must-read!

[Danielle Hammelef]

This is so much fun to read--with its interactive nature, humor, and adorable illustrations, this will be one asked for at story time again and again. I enjoyed how the animals all wanted to make sure each was included and no one was left out of the book just because of the book's limitations. A life lesson and message readers will take away without even realizing it. I think this idea could spark conversations about fitting in and more.

[Sara]

Six animal friends gather together to enjoy a good read. Just one curious problem: Giraffe just seems too tall to fit in this book!

Of course this issue must be resolved, how can all of the animals make sure that Giraffe can fit in just like the rest of them?

Such a cute and funny story to kick off the week. You and your little reader will love problem solving with these animal friends. Working together to make sure everyone can fit comfortably.

[Liz]

Is Giraffe too tall for this book, or is this book too small for Giraffe? Either way, Giraffe doesn't fit, so you as the reader have to work with the animals to make it work. These animals are adorable. It has to be the Disney-like eyes. Due to all the characters talking through speech bubbles and the size of the book, this would definitely be better for one-on-one reading rather than a storytime.

[Lydia McGregor]

This was a fun read that “breaks the 4th wall” to include the reader in trying make sure that all of the animal friends can fit on a page. The storyline consists of trying to combat the title & I love the focus on inclusivity with lines like: “WAH! I’m too tall for this book!”, “You aren’t too tall. This book is too small!”. The pictures are soft on the eyes & the words are delivered in a comic book-esque style, which makes it easy to follow the conversation if you are reading to yourself (but slightly challenging to read aloud to toddlers unless you are pointing at which animal is talking). I would check this book out again.

[Terresa Wellborn]

The silly animals in this book break the third wall, directly addressing the reader to turn the book this way and that, in order to fit in first the giraffe, and then elephant. I'm not a huge fan of this "directional haha" type of picture book (I may have read too many?), and it's a trend that is overplayed. Still, stars for cute illustrations and some silliness, which is always welcome.

Themes: animals, things that are tall, humor
Ages: preK-1st grade
Pub year: 2023

[Nicole Miller]

I received a digial ARC of this book from the publisher for my honest opinion.

In this sweet book, Giraffe is too tall to fit, so their animal friends try to find a way for all the animals to fit. Kids will not only learn about inclusiveness in a fun way, they will also get to interact with the book, turning it sideways and upright to figure out how to make Giraffe fit.

[Sarah Hovorka]

This book is so adorable! When Giraffe doesn't fit in the book, their animal friends try to help. The reader is prompted to interact with the book which is sure to delight even the youngest readers. The book is entirely told in dialogue with speech bubbles which would appeal to reluctant readers. As an adult, this book would be a fun and quick re-read (and re-read and re-read and re-read...).

[Sharon McCarthy]

This was an absolute joyous read. The one problem is that I didn't want it to end! Readers will love the Meta format. The simple language for kids to follow along and the connection to the reader to try and figure out the solution of fitting Giraffe on the page is very engaging. The illustrations are also fabulous. This is a book kids will want to read over and over again for sure.

[Afoma (Reading Middle Grade)]

What happens when a group of animal friends gather for storytime, but one’s too tall to fit? The others try to help, resulting in chaos, laughs, and a surprisingly effective solution. With speech bubbles, this picture book is one step behind graphic novels and perfect for young readers developing a love for the format. I dare you not to be tickled by this interactive new release.

[Rebecca]

I enjoy picture books like this that break the fourth wall and invite children to participate and engage directly with the characters. This is a funny and sweet book that invites kids to help Giraffe and animal friends problem-solve and figure out an inclusive solution that allows everyone to comfortably fit in the book together.

[Omar Abed]

They say don't judge a book by its cover, but I couldn't help it - I loved the premise of this book right from the start.
This book is silly and interactive and I bet kids will love it as much as I did. The colorful, playful illustrations are the cherry on top. Loved it!

[Lauri Meyers]

Giraffe is too tall for this book! His friends try to come up with solutions, like turning the book. Lots of reader interaction included with meta moments. There's a way for all these friends to fit and feel comfortable in the same space.

[Abby]

As a short kid in a very tall family, I'm always fascinated by people and animals that are tall + an interactive, meta book? I'm pretty much the prime audience for this book and it did not disappoint. Clever word play, adorable illustrations, and humor! What a trifecta. Don't miss out on this one!

[Suhasini Gupta]

I loved this fun interactive book by DK Ryland, where the animals try to find a way to fit the Giraffe in the book as he is too tall. I especially loved the twist at the end. A great read for the kids and a must-have picture book with vibrant illustrations for classrooms and libraries.

[Ryann Jones]

I love that this book is interactive with kid readers so they get to work with the animals to solve their problem. I also love that it is subtly teaching inclusion/teamwork. And the artwork is adorable!

[David McMullin]

From the first page to the last, this book is pure fun. The charmingly kind characters work together to make sure everyone is included. Kids will love manipulating the book to make sure tall the animals fit in the pages.