Take a trip with llamas, lemurs, lynxes and more as poet Michael Beadle shares rhyming verses that celebrate animals in all sorts of playful settings. Sing with frogs. Meet a rock star octopus. Enjoy a little stew from an alligator chef. These poems are a great way to share the wonders of creatures large and small—from towering giraffes and inventive elephants to adorable ants and limb-lounging sloths.

Take a trip with llamas, lemurs, lynxes and more as poet Michael Beadle shares rhyming verses that celebrate animals in all kinds of settings. With colorful illustrations and playful poems, What Makes a Giraffe Laugh offers an invitation to adventure and imagination. Meet a fashion designer for sea creatures. Dine with an alligator chef. Solve a mystery with Inspector Raccoon. Introduce children to poetry while learning about animals that have their own unique habits and personalities. Through parodies, limericks, free verse, shape poems and more, Beadle spotlights creatures from jungles and backyards to oceans and firefly skies.

Michael Beadle is an award-winning poet, author and teaching artist living in Raleigh, NC. Since 1998, he's been performing and teaching poetry for audiences of all ages. A former journalist and high school English teacher, Michael enjoys sharing his passion for writing, creativity and the wonders of the natural world. His work has been featured in literary journals, anthologies, chapbooks, travel magazines, and local history books. What Makes a Giraffe Laugh is his first children's book.