• Age: 10 to 18
• Grade: 5 to 12

Winner of the 2016 Lane Anderson Award for the best Canadian science writing - children's category

The latest in the 5 Animals series, with an introduction by Rob Laidlaw, 5 Giraffes profiles five unique giraffes from both captivity and the wild

Accompanying the five giraffe profiles is information on their diet, social life, and chapters on some of their more unique aspects, like the giraffe's unusual body.

Anne Innis Dagg earned a biology degree from the University of Toronto and a PhD in animal behaviour from the University of Waterloo. She is the author of The Feminine Gaze: A Canadian Compendium of Non-Fiction Women Authors and Their Books, 1836-1945 (2001) and Pursuing Giraffe: A 1950s Adventure (2005), both published by WLU Press, and many other books. The Woman Who Loves Giraffes (2018) is a documentary about her life’s work.

Anne Innis Dagg's profile page

For more than thirty years, Rob Laidlaw has devoted his life to protecting animals. He is the founder of several animal protection organizations, including Zoocheck Canada, a wildlife protection group. His special interest in dogs has led him to visit dog shelters, pounds, and rescue centers in North America, India, Thailand and Japan and several other countries. Rob started a project to bring humane dog control to remote First Nations communities in Canada, was Chief Inspector for a major urban humane society, was Project Manager for World Society for Protection of Animals. Rob resides in Toronto, Ontario.

Rob Laidlaw's profile page

"Author and scientist Dagg has spent her life studying giraffes and brings her considerable knowledge to this comprehensive overview, which not only introduces giraffe evolution, diet, social behaviors, and anatomy but contextualizes this information within a framework of conservation. [...] Heartwarming photos of giraffes galloping, browsing, and nuzzling their calves simply add to the book's overall effectiveness. Concluding resources and tips for becoming a "giraffe guardian" will guide readers, who will come away wanting to join the fight to save these gentle giants."
— Booklist Starred Reviewed

"Dagg, a remarkable pioneer in giraffe studies, shares deep insight into the lives of these creatures, tracing their evolution and discussing the threats they face (captivity, extinction). . . This material is presented expertly for students in search of data for an animal report and for bighearted souls who wish to be guided on how to make a positive difference for the animals.
"VERDICT Written by a heroic living scientist, this is a worthy purchase for animal collections."
— School Library Journal

"5 Giraffes is an engaging and informative book about the habits and challenges of the world's giraffes. All the right components of a good information book are included: good design, well written text, relevant informative photographs, index, glossary, bibliography and image credits.[...] This book is highly recommended for both school and public libraries."
Rating: Excellent.
— Resource Links

"These stories bring the reader into personal contact with each giraffe in an engaging way, helping to evoke empathy for the plight of the species. . . Top quality, appealing photographs strengthen the book, allowing the reader to closely examine details discussed in the text. A couple of maps are included to show locations of threatened populations. Sketches augment the description of how a giraffe walks and gets up. The book is cleverly designed with photos framed with different shapes and using various placement on the pages to enhance interest. 5 Giraffes offers a wealth of detail about giraffes in a well-presented package, and its attractive, easy to access design will encourage careful reading.
Highly Recommended."
— CM Magazine

"I recommend 5 Giraffes for middle, high school, and college students. Although 5 Giraffes is only 15 chapters in 64 pages, it is filled with information told in an engaging narrative manner. It would be an easy and enjoyable read for most students. . . Educators who involve their students in field study projects will probably be interested in reading this book as much of this book was based upon giraffe field research. Students who are studying climate change might also find this book of interest. What can happen to animals when they face changes in their environment? Although this book is not about climate change, it shows how human and natural events can change and threaten the lives of various animals, in this case, the giraffe. Professor Anne Innis Dagg studied African wildlife in their natural habitat making this volume helpful to educators presenting information to their students about careers in biology."
— NSTA Recommends