Imagine if the one thing that keeps you safe is what you fear the most. This enchanting story tells of a giraffe who suffers from the fear of heights. His parents worry about his safety and send him to the village doctor for treatment. Along the way he befriends a monkey who is afraid of climbing trees and a hippo who is afraid of water. A life-threatening event causes the three friends to face and overcome each of their fears. The “For Creative Minds” section includes fun facts and animal adaptation information, a match-the-feet game and a mix-n-match activity.

Written By: David A. Ufer Illustrated By: Kirsten Carlson	32 pg, 8.5" x 10", Hardcover w/ Jacket, Ages 4-8 Hardback ISBN: 978-0-9768823-0-5, $15.95 Paperback ISBN: 978-1-934359-05-1, $8.95
Purchase:

“I give this book a high five all the way around – a unique, fun, extremely well-written storyline with a neat message that held my interest to the very end; fantastic, endearing illustrations by Kirsten Carlson; and the great learning experiences at the end of this book and also online thanks to the superior quality of Sylvan Dell Publishing. This is a must read for the little ones!” – Stories for Children Magazine

“The Giraffe Who Was Afraid of Heights is a picture book story about animal friends who bond together to face their fears. An excellent, character-building picture book for young readers.” – Children’s Book Watch

“The illustrations were adorable, and the message was a universally great one. Kids everywhere can read this book, no matter the stage of life they're in, and be reassured that it's totally normal and okay to be afraid of things. What they can also learn, though, is that while fears are normal, it's also totally possible to overcome them.” – Ready Set Read Reviews

Author/Illustrator Info:

David A. Ufer (The Giraffe Who Was Afraid of Heights) is a new children's author but has been honing and perfecting his craft for several years by taking writing courses. He says that this story has been floating around in his head for several years now and has spent lots of hours at the zoo watching some of these animals to get a feel for their behavior and personalities. David hopes that this book will help children overcome some of their own fears. He is looking forward to the day when he may be able to leave the corporate world behind and become a full-time author – perhaps writing and traveling across the country.

Kirsten Carlson (The Giraffe Who Was Afraid of Heights) says that she has been drawing as long as she can remember. Somehow, growing up in Missouri, she decided to become a marine biologist and moved to California to pursue a Masters in marine science. After a very inspiring research expedition to Antarctica, she realized that communicating the beauty and wonder of the natural world to others was more important than the research. She decided to combine her love of science and art by becoming a scientific illustrator. Since completing a degree in scientific illustration she has been combining science, art and design as a freelance illustrator and graphic designer. She has also worked at the Monterey Bay Aquarium as a web designer, print graphic designer and as an exhibit graphic designer. Visit Kirsten's website.