Horn Book (Fri Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2014)

Young, wobbly-kneed giraffe Geoffrey tries to make friends with other animals, but he's so tall that when he bends down to play, he stumbles and falls. Discouraged, he heads to a tall tree for a snack--and meets a group of monkeys and birds who value him for his height. Frequent shifts in perspective add tension and movement to the mixed-media illustrations.

Kirkus Reviews

Can a clumsy giraffe make friends? Geoffrey, a lanky young giraffe, is all neck and limbs, and as a result, he is often awkward and ungainly. Onomatopoeic text curves around his wobbly legs and slippery hooves as his efforts at making friends inevitably end in chaos, confusion and the titular repeating refrain, "Oh dear, Geoffrey!" The cheery, mixed-media illustrations, replete with gentle humor, show Geoffrey and the various animals—meerkats, elephants, rhinoceroses—he tries to befriend, even as he overlooks some small, feathered potential companions who hover nearby. While trying to cheer himself up with some tasty leaves, Geoffrey discovers some needed, welcoming monkeys that appreciate his lofty height as well as the birds who've been there all along. Surrounded by his many new playmates, he's free to see the good points of being so tall, including the ability to "see as far as the stars!" Children of unusual height or with characteristics not yet valued are sure to identify with this sympathetic portrayal, while all will admire Geoffrey's perseverance as well as his dogged, hit-or-miss efforts to make friends. A good choice to encourage the development of empathy and show how individual difference is a plus. Oh yes, Geoffrey! (Picture book. 3-6)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

An ungainly giraffe stars in U.K.-based author/artist O-Neill-s first children-s book, and her heavily splattered and speckled gouache-and-collage illustrations help make Geoffrey-s every pratfall a real event. The book-s title is also its exasperated refrain, and it-s deployed whenever Geoffrey does a full body-plant in the dirt (-His legs are wibbly-wobbly... and his knees are bendy-buckly,- says the narrator by way of explanation) or makes a spread-eagled splash in the middle of the watering hole. Geoffrey is only trying to be friendly, and he eventually learns that he-s better off sticking with treetop-dwelling monkeys and birds than bending down to attempt to hobnob with meerkats and flamingoes. There-s a fussy primness to the narration that can feel at odds with the story-s slapstick moments, but O-Neill-s illustrations do a marvelous job of bringing both Geoffrey and his dusty savannah habitat to life, whether through the dust clouds that erupt as Geoffrey becomes entangled with a herd of elephants; the passel of monkeys clinging playfully to his limbs, neck, and tail; or the resplendently starry sky they gaze into before falling asleep. Ages 3-7. (May)

School Library Journal (Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2014)

PreS-K Geoffrey has an appealing face but the long legs and awkwardness of all young giraffes. His enthusiasm and friendliness are adorable but his clumsiness and size make it almost impossible to share moments with animals small and close to the ground, like meerkats. He finally gives up trying to make friends and heads to his favorite tree for a snack. There, he meets monkeys looking for someone tall to help them up higher and birds looking for friends. His success with these creatures gives Geoffrey just the encouragement he needs. Simple text with random words in bold make this offering as bright and fun as Geoffrey himself. The text and story are not complicated and would be a quick read for parents, teachers, or librarians to share with preschoolers. The highlight of this title are the illustrations that move with Geoffrey and his bright face. The giraffe's excitement jumps off the page, even when he falls. Susan Lissim, Dwight School, New York City