This is a rare book: joyful, ingenuous, playfully earnest, but without a whiff of studied cuteness.

Kirkus (US)

Yours Sincerely Giraffe

This international bestseller is an endearing illustrated chapter book about an African giraffe and his pen pal, a penguin.

Written by Megumi Iwasa and illustrated by Jun Takabatake

Translated by Cathy Hirano

Available as an ebook wherever you buy your ebooks


  • Description

    Giraffe is bored, as usual. He’d love a friend to share things with. So he writes a letter and sends it as far as possible across the other side of the horizon. There he finds a pen pal—Penguin.

    Giraffe knows nothing about penguins and his letters are full of questions. What does a penguin look like? Where is a penguin’s neck?

    And so the letters begin to fly from horizon to horizon.

    New York Public Library, Top 10 2017

    Chicago Public Library, Best Fiction for Younger Readers 2017

    A best selling children’s chapter book for ages 6-8


  • Book Details

    Reader Age 5-7 year, 6-8 year
    Book Size
    ISBN

  • Reviews

    1. Gecko Press

      Deutscher Jugend Children’s Prize Winner, 2018


  • Reviews

    1. USBBY- 2018 Outstanding International Book List (US)

      The letters between the characters result in an absurdly funny get-together portrayed in humorous drawings.

    2. International Midwest Book Review (US)

      Translated from Japanese, this playful and imaginative early chapter book will charm readers, and maybe even spark an interest in letter writing

    3. Omnilibros

      After many hilarious questions and answers, Giraffe creates a picture of what he thinks Penguin looks like. Giraffe trying to dress like a penguin will certainly make readers laugh out loud.

    4. Starred review, School Library Journal (US)

      This Japanese import will charm beginning readers who enjoy a bit of witty humor with their animal adventures. The pen-and-ink illustrations are simple yet have a Quentin Blake feel that rounds out the characters and their quirky behaviors.

    5. Youth Services Book Review (US)

      The line drawing illustrations perfectly complement the text which is made up of short chapters and letters. This is a fun story about friendship and also a nice introduction to the art of letter writing.

    6. Starred review, Kirkus (US)

      This is a rare book: joyful, ingenuous, playfully earnest, but without a whiff of studied cuteness.

    7. Starred review, Booklist (US)

      The combination of short narrative, dialogue, letters, and humorous pen-and-ink drawings is a winning one.

    8. Dog Eared Reads

      This went down an absolute treat for my 5 year old nephew (an instant demand to read it again as soon as it was finished is always a winner) and I have to say it warmed my heart for the ten minutes I decided to indulge my inner child as well. Simple but a winner.

    9. 11 Best Books for 4 to 7-year-olds, The Independent (UK)

      With beautifully simple illustrations and a hope-filled ending, it is an ideal introduction to Japanese literature.

    10. What’s Good To Do (UK)

      This is a charming and delightful story.

    11. Bookrapt (NZ)

      This humorous story is generously illustrated with simple line drawings of the animals and of their letters… Well done to Gecko Press for making this much loved Japanese book available to Kiwi kids.

    12. Booksellers NZ

      I’ve never met a Gecko Press book I didn’t like. Yours Sincerely, Giraffe is no exception.

    13. The Phoenix Book Club

      This book is really funny, as it’s hard to imagine someone you’ve never seen! Giraffe has to do some detective work – what does Penguin look like?

    14. Nayu’s Reading Corner (UK)

      I loved the simple yet elegant style of illustration. It made me smile when Giraffe imagined what Penguin would look like, I really liked the little squares by each chapter title which contained a drawing involving an element of what happened in that chapter.

    15. Otago Daily Times

      A cute story of friendship and curiosity as well as a celebration of differences.

    16. Magpies (AUS)

      A lovely story such as this, presented so well, is the kind of book to set a pre-teen youngster on a lifelong romance with books and literature.

    17. Luna’s Little Library

      Yours sincerely, Giraffe was a lovely book to read. I’d happily recommend, not just for the intended audience but anybody who’d like a sweet story about friendship.

    18. Outside In World (UK)

      Japanese author Megumi Iwasa has written a clever and witty tale, translated by award-winning translator Cathy Hirano, that is both absurd and endearing. The humorous misinterpretations are hilarious.


Available worldwide from your local bookstore or online.

Subscribe to our newsletter/s

Hear from us about new books, guest recommendations, behind-the-scenes and competitions.

I'd like to sign up to these monthly newsletters

Follow Gecko Press