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From the scorching Egyptian desert to bustling Paris, this historically inspired account describes the remarkable trip of a young guide who brings an unusual gift to the French king. Through the fictional voice of Sudanese escort Amir, this narrative chronicles the dramatic journey of giraffe Belle, a present from the Egyptian pasha to Parisian royalty, down the Nile River, across the Mediterranean and through France to her permanent residence in Paris’s Jardin des Plantes. The exhausting trip succeeded through innovative planning as Belle, wearing boots and a waterproof jacket, walked eight weeks from Marseille to her destination. Thousands of curious admirers flocked to view the exotic animal. Cannell’s mixed-media illustrations match the enthusiastic text in whimsy, thin lines complementing striking cursive phrases prominently displayed against clean backdrops. With a brief pronunciation guide and listed sources, this joins Zarafa: the Giraffe Who Walked to the King (2009), by Judith St. George and illustrated by Britt Spencer, on the shelf. (Picture book. 5-8)
