“He no longer stuck out, his height no longer laughable. But with his head hanging low, he felt most ungiraffeable.”
Gerome does not like the attention he draws due to his height. He finds a way to keep a low profile but knows he isn’t being genuine. He is finally able to fully embrace his height, and its advantages, when his concern for another becomes greater than his concern for himself.
Through storytelling, Baxter’s CornerTM pursues its mission to inspire young children to develop positive social skills that affect behavior choices. Each book features fun filled pages that Go Beyond the reading with a series of questions and learning activities that focus on an important point for your young listener or reader, including:
- “What do you think” questions
- Fun facts about the featured animals
- Social skill activities
- “Stop and think” situations that show the effects of choices we make
“Gerome Sticks His Neck Out is definitely character building reading for young readers, teaching respect for others and a positive awareness of community. “
James A. Cox, Editor, Midwest Book Review
Children’s Bookwatch, The Social Issues Shelf
“Gerome Sticks His Neck Out is an engaging and stimulating book for young children. Lessons about friendship and standing up for what’s right are the dominant themes in this sweet story.”Kristina Davis Christensen, M.Ed. Head of School
Friends School, Louisville, KY
“Gerome Sticks His Neck Out is fun and short and also deals with a serious topic that many children might face. ... I find that this short story fits well into every kids book collection and it’s a great way to talk to your children about friendship, bullying, self-esteem and so on.”
Erika Winterlia, Winterlia Reviews
Follinge Jamtland, Sweden
"Gerome Sticks His Neck Out is a manners fable with an unlikely hero and an even more unlikely pair of friends. Written in commanding verse, illustrated with splashy painted portraits of animal friends, "Gerome Sticks His Neck Out" challenges readers everywhere to find their inner strength and stick up for a friend, no matter how small. Gerome overcomes his own shyness to come to the rescue of a hairy tarantula, who is threatened high up in a tree by a porcupine with a stick and unfriendly accomplices. "Stop that now. Drop that stick! Quit being so mean," demanded Gerome, his head up in the tree. "Thank you for helping," the small tarantula said as he dropped from the limb, to land on Gerome's head." Additional ideas for parents and caregivers help to teach the lessons of Gerome and his tarantula friend, including fun facts about giraffes, what do you think?, "Amazing Me!" poster, and more pages on math, shapes, giraffe craft, and more. "Gerome Sticks His Neck Out" is definitely character building reading for young readers, teaching respect for others and a positive awareness of community. "
James A. Cox, Editor, Midwest Book Review
Children's Bookwatch, March 2017, The Social Issues Shelf, Oregon, WI
"Gerome Sticks His Neck Out is an engaging and stimulating book for young children. Lessons about friendship and standing up for what's right are the dominant themes in this sweet story. The "Go Beyond" section at the end of the story provides educational and challenging extensions in the areas of literacy, science, math, art, and social / emotional and character development. These extensions will help to deepen understanding of the plot as well as provide related and integrated curriculum pieces in each of the developmental domains. An enjoyable story, preschool and kindergarten students will love reading about Gerome!"
Kristina Davis Christensen, M.Ed.,
Head of School, Friends School, Louisville, KY 40207
"Gerome Sticks His Neck Out is a book with wonderful messages. Two that are very important in this day and age. Anti-bullying and self-esteem are the messages in this adorably illustrated, well written book. Gerome helps kids see the power of standing up to bullies along with embracing who you are! Gerome is a giraffe and not real crazy about the attention that his height causes. He walks around slouched, trying to keep a low profile. When Gerome finds a crowd of bullies picking on a smaller classmate Gerome gets to embrace his height!! He finds his voice and learns to stand up to the bullies and makes a friend. In the back of the book is even more to love! The Go Beyond section. This is a very cool addition to the book. From Giraffe facts like 'did you know that a giraffes tongue is long enough that they can clean their own ears?!' Whaaaaaaaaaaaaa!? There are also pages of crafts and a page to take your pledge to stand up to bullies. Go Beyond has thought-provoking questions and fun learning activities all centered around building character, enhancing social skills and even manners. There are even downloads available for free to go even further. This would be an amazing book for teachers, home-schoolers and kids in general!!
WHINES - Nope. Not a single one. Cute book, FANTASTIC message! Two thumbs way UP!!
Connie Gruning, Reviewer
www.peanutbutterandwhine.com, February 2017, Vista, CA
