Giraffe Picture Book — The Secret of the Long Neck (Ages 4-7)
What makes giraffes so amazing?
The tallest animal on land, the giraffe uses its long neck to pluck leaves from high up in the trees. There are fun secrets in its long tongue and the way it drinks water, too.
We've gathered all sorts of stories about giraffes here — giraffe facts, the giraffe's neck, giraffe ecology, and more.
Nature and science facts about giraffes
Thanks to its long neck, the giraffe eats high leaves that other animals can't reach. With its long, black tongue (about 45 cm) it even wraps around and picks leaves off thorny trees — and its tongue is black to keep it from getting sunburned. Because it is so tall, it has to splay its front legs wide to drink water, and its heart is very large and powerful to pump blood all the way up to its head. It sleeps standing up, for very short stretches.
What Tangobook's «Giraffe» covers
Tangobook's «Giraffe» warmly shows the giraffe's charm — eating high leaves with its long neck, its long tongue, drinking water with legs splayed wide, and its net-like coat pattern.
Great points to observe together
Point out things like the long neck (high leaves), the black tongue (45 cm), how it drinks (legs splayed), and the net-like pattern. It's fun to talk together about "Why does a giraffe splay its legs to drink?"
Parent guide — how to spark curiosity
Compare heights and feel out just how big a giraffe is: "A giraffe is this tall!" Measure out the tongue length (45 cm) with a ruler, and telling your child that "the tongue is black so it won't get sunburned" makes it even more interesting.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. Why is a giraffe's tongue black?
A. It's thought to be so the tongue doesn't get sunburned. At about 45 cm long, it can even wrap around and pick leaves off thorny trees.
Q. Why does a giraffe splay its legs to drink water?
A. Because it is so tall, it has to spread its front legs wide to the sides in order to lower its head.
Q. How can we observe them at home?
A. Comparing heights, measuring the tongue length (45 cm) with a ruler, and observing the net-like pattern all work well.
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Curious about “Giraffe”?
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