Not Friends

by Rebecca Bender

Giraffe and Bird are not friends. Not even a little bit. The bird pesters the giraffe with his face-making, feather-pruning, and disgusting eating habits. The giraffe annoys the bird with his bad breath, ear-swatting, and lack of respect for personal space. Of course they are always fighting. Of course they would be better off without each other. Except, it turns out, maybe they wouldn't be. With bold acrylic illustrations, expressive word play, and laugh-out-loud storytelling, award-winning author-illustrator Rebecca Bender delivers an odd-couple tale that is anything but your average friendship story. Satisfyingly un-sweet and uproariously irreverent, Not Friends invites thoughtful discussion about children's relationships with each other--though first you'll have to wait for the giggling to stop.

Genres: Picture Books, Friendship, Animals, Childrens, Birds, Juvenile, Storytime

32 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2017

About the author

Rebecca Bender is an award-winning author, illustrator, and designer living in Burlington, Ontario, Canada.

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Several co-workers at the Library were gathered around enjoying this book yesterday. They had discovered it being returned in one of our book drops, so, I asked if I might have it to take home after they were done. My favorite of all the lovely illustrations is the one on the cover where the giraffe and the bird are giving each other 'the eye.' It's a fun book about getting along, or not, to enjoy with your favorite small person.

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

Without question, the illustrations are great. After that I can't decide if it's amusing that they like each other after all despite their flaws, or a terrible example of two creatures continuing to be obnoxious and annoying little smartasses instead of being respectful of each other because they do indeed like each other. It's like a little brother getting away with poking you all the time but deciding it's ok because you have to love him because he's your brother. Neither are an example of a good friend.

[CrystalIsReading on StoryGraph · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute picture book about how two characters can really annoy each other and yet really care about each other and want to be together too. I'm not sure what message it sends to kids--maybe it will encourage kids who bicker with siblings or classmates?--but it's moderately funny, and the art is cute. and as an adult, I can relate to a lot of the complaints that Giraffe and Bird have with each other. Too many berries, with too much fiber, and the results? check. Bad breath? check. Still wanting that person around during a thunderstorm? check.

[Michelle Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Themes: friends, enemies

[Tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't know how I feel about this one for storytime. Lots of room for expression here, but it runs long. Names dozens of ways the two animals, a giraffe and a bird, can't stand each other, but in the end they realize they need one another. But as the title says, they're not friends. The pictures are great though. It would take serious editing down to work with my regular storytime crowd, but I think I'll give it a try.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started out snappy and addresses a lot of behavior that might get on someone's nerves, and then the text gets a little more dense with the turn in the middle of the plot. Also didn't care for the picture of giraffe as telephone pole. Overall, very cute illustrations, and I loved the first half of the book.

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I had to recommend a book about sibling rivalry to a contentious duo, this would probably be it. The bird and giraffe are NOT FRIENDS but they sure do need each other.

[Alyssa Gudenburr · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really funny book about how two friends don't get along but deep down need each other. Would be a great read aloud for elementary children.

[Stephanie Bange · Rating 4 out of 5]

Families with siblings that are opposite personalities (like day and night or vinegar and water - they just don't mix well) will relate to this one. Giraffe and Bird do everything they can to irritate each other, then retaliate whenever one experiences a slight. The retaliations escalate until someone is hurt. However, whenever there is a big problem or emergency, they pull together for a ceasefire to do whatever is needed.

Bender's acrylic on texturized illustration board are cute, colorful, yet charming. Plus, they show what the words are not telling.

A welcome addition to a family storytime!

[Kya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about siblings all the way! I cannot tell you how often my siblings and I fought, both verbally and physically. But when it comes down to it, they are so important and I love them, even then. We go to each other in times of trouble and are always there to help one another out.
Side note: The illustrations are odd. I'm not sure I would have picked an acrylic overlay of an illustrated board for this, but that was the authors choice, not mine.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

This cover totally got me. My daughter and I love anything to do with giraffes, so I thought that this would be a perfect one. It is a cute story about how friends sometimes fight, but in the end they really do like eachother. A cute story, but the illustrations are what stand out in this book. It could have been a wordless book and I would have been just as a happy. Very cute (and true) story.

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This latest Bender book is a wonderful addition to her previous work. The delightful illustrations were created with acrylic paint on texturized illustration board and add a lot of visual pizzazz to the short text. Because of the inclusion of many funny words and situations, this is a perfect read aloud book for library story times. Check it out!

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone knows that the giraffe and the bird are definitely not friends. Each always does something the other one hates. They annoy each other until one day they "get lost" during a bad storm. What they discover may shock the reader... Or maybe not. This is a fun picture book that will have you making faces in no time. 😆

[MeganRuth - Alohamora Open a Book · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Word Choice in this picture book is fantastic. Classroom teachers and school librarians in 2nd grade-5th grade could have a great time reading aloud this book for a writing lesson on word choice.

Fun story, not too long, but definitely best for school age kiddos.

It's a great book on friendship, how it's hard sometimes, and animals that need each other.

[Kenna Coffee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story about two animals struggling to accept each other for who they are. They both don't like certain things about each other yet they find ways to accept each other when they both needed each other even though they may not be best of friends. Would be a good read aloud for young kindergartners. Some pages were just pictures which is perfect for early readers.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't find this story that engaging, and the setting was confusing. There is a telephone wire that figures prominently into the story, but then it looks like they are on the African savannah. So WHERE exactly are they? And the storm is a cliche way to get to the climax of the story. The art is great, though.

[Darcie Caswell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Giraffe and bird do not get along. In fact, they actively antagonize each other. When they decide that they truly will not be friends and have nothing to do with each other, they find they miss each other.

Appreciating difference

[Tanya Konerman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute friendship-in-disguise story, with some humor, though the "picking" and "pestering" last a bit too long for me. Also, there's a typo in the middle of the book on the page where the giraffe feels lonely ("The funny thing is that all the giraffe can can think about is the bird.").

[The Brothers · Rating 4 out of 5]

A giraffe and a bird cannot stand each other! Everything one does annoys or irks the other and vice versa. However, the two are separated after a storm and they discover that maybe they are frienemies after all.

Great illustrations.

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

The bird and the giraffe don't like each other because they do obnoxious things to one another. So they go their separate ways. But then they miss annoying each other. This is not a healthy relationship.

[Bethany Owens · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think we can all relate to this book in one way or another. super cute!

[Tin Cheung · Rating 1 out of 5]

this was NOT the book for me...I liked the illustrations.

[Casandria · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations are awesome! Giraffe and Bird really bug each other, but they don't like it when they get separated.

[Jennifer Miera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great vocab. Cute story.

[Jennybeast · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the illustrations, like the frenemies angle. It's a little long for storytime, but really funny visually.

[MaryLibrarianOH · Rating 3 out of 5]

Opposites attract but for giraffe and bird this many not be the case. These two just get on each other's nerves, or do they.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A complicated, funny relationship.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book! Love the story & the illustrations. Added to the rotation for my 2 1/2 year old & 6 month old grandchildren.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too cute! I loved the illustrations, which reminded me of my own style.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story about the ups and downs of friendship