The Spotless Giraffe
Peter Millett and Alison Hawkins
Happy Yak

It’s Kipekee the giraffe’s first day at school but she doesn’t know which class she should go to. Some of the other animals offer to help: Hana Hippo suggests that with a brown coat, she should join the camel class; Azar Aardvark ties a false hump onto the giraffe’s back but it comes adrift during a swim; Azar then proposes Llama Class but Kipekee lacks a woolly coat and Hana Hippo’s offering of a woolly rug flies off in the wind. So maybe Zebra Class is the one for the giraffe

but no.

This leaves only Gazelle Class and despite having no horns Kipekee heads there sporting something given by Hana – uh-oh!

Eventually, having seen the sign for Giraffe Class, Kipekee takes matters into her own – err, neck and is soon settled in there. The class sign is suitably updated and come the end of the first week, a celebration is held.

This heart-warming story of embracing our differences, uniqueness, acceptance, friendship and inclusion is based on the true story of Kipekee, the first giraffe without spots born in the USA, in a Tennessee zoo in 2023. Alison Hawkins’ entertaining scenes of the events will help young children relate to the important message of the tale.