67 pages • 2 hours read
Lynda RutledgeWest with Giraffes
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2021A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
In West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge, 17-year-old Woodrow Wilson Nickel drives two giraffes cross-country in 1938, overcoming various challenges and forming a bond with the animals, as well as the people he meets, including Riley Jones and journalist Augusta “Red” Lowe. The journey becomes a deeply transformative experience, highlighting the themes of resilience, hope, love, and the importance of storytelling. The novel contains themes of trauma, racism, and animal abuse.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge is widely praised for its engaging historical setting and vivid storytelling. Reviewers appreciate the heartfelt journey and well-developed characters, though some note that the pacing can be slow at times. Overall, the novel captures the spirit of adventure and resilience, making it a poignant read despite occasional narrative lulls.
Who Should Read West with Giraffes?
Readers who enjoy historical fiction with rich storytelling and animal-centric adventures, reminiscent of John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath and Sara Gruen's Water for Elephants, will relish Lynda Rutledge's West with Giraffes. It blends historical realities with a heartwarming journey, appealing to fans of road stories and Americana.
RecommendedReading Age
18+yearsBook Details
Historical Fiction
Coming of Age / Bildungsroman
Action / Adventure
Animals
Great Depression
Life/Time: Coming of Age
Natural World: Animals
Emotions/Behavior: Memory