Marcie and Giraffe

Marcie (a human girl) and Giraffe (an aptly named giraffe) are painting pictures of each other, and they’re excited to display their work. Marcie proudly shows off her portrait of Giraffe, which is an orangey-yellow blob of paint dripping from the paper, but her spirits are dampened by Giraffe’s painting of her, which is a bit more detailed (more a stick figure than a blob). Frustrated that her art isn’t as good as Giraffe’s, Marcie rips up her own painting and starts on a self-portrait, which includes her brain in angry splotches of red and black, her stomach in knots of blue and green, and finally her face, basically a smooshed impression of herself, covered in paint. Giraffe tries to emulate her “fierce and scribbly” picture, but in his zealousness to get it just right, he ends up slipping and tumbles down, legs akimbo, with paint flying all around. However, much to his delight, most of the paint ends up on the walls and floor in the shape of his body. Realizing they’re actually enjoying the chaos, the two friends paint more pictures, each embracing their own styles. Gregory’s illustrations are bright and colorful, with a childlike draftsmanship that evokes the best kind of refrigerator art. Initially, negative space is used to highlight the distance between the two pals, but as the story goes on, paint ends up on the floors, walls, and ceiling, bringing Marcie and Giraffe together in joyful splatter. There are multiple lessons here that never feel didactic, making this a perfect storytime choice for learning to cope with jealousy, deal with angry emotions, and make art for art’s sake.–Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Bright, playful illustrations set the tone for this thoughtful picture book about creativity, comparison, and big feelings. Marcie and Giraffe begin by happily drawing pictures of one another, until Marcie realizes that Giraffe’s portrait of her is “better” than the one she has made. That spark of jealousy sends Marcie in a new direction: instead of drawing Giraffe, she starts creating pictures inspired by how jealousy feels in her own body. Readers are introduced to expressive images like “smoosh face,” capturing both physical and emotional reactions in a way young children can easily recognize. Although Marcie is unhappy with her original artwork, Giraffe responds with delight and enthusiasm, even attempting to copy Marcie’s style, leading to the unforgettable “bottom-splat.” The story gently shows that feelings can be confusing but expressing them creatively can help make sense of them. This engaging, accessible book is a strong addition to children’s libraries seeking high-quality social-emotional-learning picture books.–Booklist