by Valerie Lee Baker (Author), Frances Espanol (Illustrator)
Baby Rafi has one mission in life: to eat the leaves of the trees like his Mom and Dad. He spends months stretching, jumping, and hopping to reach the coveted leaves, but to no avail. His disregard to the warning his parents gave him, lands the giraffe injured, lost, and frightened. Fire, fear of predators, fast-flowing river, and a kidnapping follow. Rafi is portrayed with human emotions which will tug on your heartstrings, no matter the age of the reader. Disobedience has consequences, as the reader will discover, from Rafi's misadventures in the jungle. Although still a baby, Rafi portrays bravery in the midst of danger and of the unknown. BABY RAFI has numerous real-life lessons for children which parents will appreciate. It is a "must read"; a true page-turner.