West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge

Though Woody is now 100 years old, all he wants to do is document the most important time in his life, back in 1938, beginning when he’d made it all the way from the Dust Bowl of the Texas panhandle to New York City. At that point, it had felt like a miracle to Woody, who’d survived more in his 17 years than most had in their whole lives. But after being knocked out by the blast of a hurricane, he awakened to a sight he could not believe possible: 2 true-to-life giraffes in a crate that just survived the harrowing storm. He was so entranced, he felt compelled to follow them, and as he did, so ensued the adventure that remained with him long after all his other life adventures had faded away.

Based on a true story of 2 giraffes shipped in from Africa to New York harbor and then transported across the US in a rig all the way to the San Diego Zoo, this story is simultaneously outrageous and heartwarming. Although I was a bit skeptical that it might be something I’d actually be interested in reading, I was captured immediately and captivated throughout, often not being able to put it down, in certain parts. The adventure is replete with colorful characters encountered by Woody and the giraffes’ caretaker, fondly referred to as “the Old Man,” and their narrow escapes from danger are described in such humorous and precise detail that your heart is literally in your mouth during many of them. And that very heart has to be made of stone if you do not fall in love with the giraffes themselves by the end of the story.

Given the historical context, the personal stories of the characters, and the wild tale itself, this novel is a hit, no matter how you slice it. You cannot help but love it – and the giraffes!