The White Giraffe
Author: Lauren St. John
Genre: Fantasy
Age Level: 10-14 years
SUMMARY
When Martine's parents are killed in a house fire, she is sent away to live with a grandmother she never knew on a game reserve in South Africa. Martine senses that her grandmother does not desire her presence and is keeping secrets from her. Nor does Martine feel that she fits in at school, particularly when she inadvertently discloses her strange gift of healing. Martine is very lonely. Then one night she meets the white giraffe, whom everyone has insisted is only a myth. Martine quickly falls in love with her new friend, Jemmy, and is troubled when it becomes obvious that Jemmy is being hunted by poachers. Martine must learn to make the right choices in order to save her friend.
CRITIQUE
With regard to the writing style, this is probably one of the better children's books I have read in recent years. The author uses wonderfully descriptive language to make the African bush and its inhabitants come alive for the reader: Pale spike thorn trees and ragged shrubs dotted the long yellow grass, which glowed beneath the blazing summer sun as if it was lit from underneath.
Unfortunately, I was disappointed with the character development. The characters and their relationships would have benefited from further elaboration. When I compare this novel to other books that involve an attachment between a child and an animal such as Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls or The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, the bond between Martine and Jemmy is not nearly as powerful.
The plot, also, was underdeveloped. On the one hand, it was fairly predictable. On the other hand, several occurrences were left unexplained or were inconsistent within the story and with reality. The reason appears to be that the author intends for us to read the sequel. This is the fourth children's book I have read recently that does not have an intact ending. The author leaves the plot unresolved so that one has to read the sequel in order to obtain an explanation. With a few exceptions, I find this strategy rather unappealing.
Overall, I would say this was a good book, but could have been much better. While many children may enjoy it and not be bothered by the plot and character deficiencies, I believe the sophisticated reader will not be impressed.
RATINGS
Disrespectful/Bad Attitude: Mild
Frightening/Suspenseful: Moderate
Profanity: Mild
Sex: None
Substance Use: None
Mature Themes: Mild
Violence: Moderate
SPECIFIC CONTENT
Disrespectful/Bad Attitude:
-When Martine is informed by the family lawyer that she is to go and live with her grandmother, she responds by saying, "I'm not going and you can't make me."
-Martine rolls her eyes at an adult.
-Martine is rude (speaks "cheekily") to her grandmother and argues with her.
-Grandmother calls Grace a "crazy old magic woman."
-Children at school are mean to another child and call him "Bonkers Ben."
-Martine speaks rudely to Alex, the game warden. Alex is cruel in return by saying to her, "My girl, you are playing with fire now...and you know what happens to people who play with fire."
Frightening/Suspenseful:
-Martine has a frightening dream from which she wakes up screaming.
-Martine wakes up to discover that her house is on fire. She escapes through the window, but her parents perish in the blaze.
-Suspenseful scene where Martine walks through the game reserve at night and narrowly avoids being bit by a Cape cobra.
-Kids chase Martine, threatening to "eliminate her" because she is a "witch."
-Suspenseful scene when Martine rides on the giraffe's back to escape the poachers.
-Suspenseful scene when Martine goes onto the ship by herself to find Jemmy and rescue him.
Profanity:
-Children call others: stupid, witch, nutcase, loony, freak, mongrel, idiot.
Mature Themes:
-Violent deaths.
Violence:
-Martine's grandfather is killed in an encounter with some poachers.
-Lucy gives Martine a "friendly punch that almost knocked her over."
-Tendai tells Martine the story of being beaten with a rhinoceros hide whip until he lost consciousness.
-Tendai pushes Martine back "so hard that she slipped and grazed her bare knee" in order to prevent her from stepping into a nest of adders.
-Alex shoots a kudu in the throat. "Blood spurted from his neck in a fountain and he dropped to the ground and lay still."
-Tendai has "two ugly gashes on his face caused by ricocheting splinters" when Alex shoots the tree right above Tendai's head.
-Martine finds cave paintings depicting bloody giraffes laying dead on the ground.
-Martine imagines horrible fate for Jemmy: "being skinned and used as a rug...or being whipped and made to perform tricks in a circus, or even freezing to death in some Siberian zoo."
-Martine fights back when Ben unexpectedly grabs her from behind and they both fall to the ground.
-Martine finds Jemmy and "his white and silver coat was covered in cuts and matted blood. He seems to be dead."
-Jemmy gives Alex a "glancing blow with his hoof" as he runs across the deck of the ship.
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