West With Giraffes

West With Giraffes, by Linda Rutledge, is based on a true story about two giraffes who were being shipped to the United States from Africa in 1938 when their vessel encountered a hurricane. The giraffes survived, only to face a harrowing trek across the country by truck from New York to their new home in the San Diego Zoo. The story is narrated by Woody Nickel, a fictional character who is the driver of the truck. The book provides a fascinating look at giraffes, as well as a wealth of information about life in the 1930s. You can read the Bethel librarian’s review here.