Coronado Community READ 2022

West with Giraffes

by Lynda Rutledge

An emotional, rousing novel is inspired by the incredible story of two giraffes who made headlines and won the hearts of Depression-era America as they traveled across the country to our very own San Diego Zoo. The adventurous tale weaves real-life figures with fictional ones, including the world's first female zoo director, a crusty old man with a past, a young female photographer with a secret, and assorted reprobates as spotty as the giraffes.

Turtle in Paradise, The Graphic Novel

by Jennifer L. Holm

Eleven-year-old Turtle is smart and tough and has seen enough of the world not to expect a Hollywood ending. After all, it's 1935, and money—and sometimes even dreams—is scarce. So when Turtle's mother gets a job housekeeping for a lady who doesn't like kids, Turtle heads off to Florida to live with relatives. Florida's like nothing Turtle's ever seen before, though. It's full of ragtag boy cousins, family secrets to unravel... and even a little bit of fun. Before she knows what's happened, Turtle finds herself coming out of her shell. And as she does, her world opens up in the most unexpected ways.

Ty the Quiet Giraffe

by Carrie Hasler

At first, everyone noticed Ty the giraffe. He's hard to miss. But Ty is quiet. He doesn't like to interrupt, and he never shouts out. He likes to think before answering. He pays attention to details and notices things that others don't. And being quiet makes him a great listener. But the others think Ty is too quiet. They think he never has anything to say. Can he even speak at all? Pretty soon, everyone stops noticing him. That is until Ty shows them that everyone has something important to say. Inspired by giraffes who are naturally quiet and virtually non-vocal, this story teaches young kids that being quiet is more than okay—it can be a benefit. Includes fun facts and information about giraffes!