Bruce Brown, graphic novelist whose work has been featured in the Chicago Tribune and Wired (among others) and who has put out a series of graphic novels featuring a young Howard P. Lovecraft and his dog Spot (who’s actually Cthulu), recently finished work on a children’s graphic novel/story. It’s a very simple story of Gordon the Giraffe – but it’s also a wonderful, charming tale about learning to be tolerant, and an inspiring story once you know the background.

Bruce published the story of Gordon the Giraffe as his answer to the promise he made to his late brother, who died due to complications from AIDS.

"I’ve been writing graphic novels for years. I’ve done all kinds of all-ages stories...my brother knew that I did this and I had some pretty good success at it, and my brother had talked to me toward the end of his life...he had always said I would love for you to do some kind of book with maybe a positive gay character in it."

Bruce thought about it, but it seemed that just a character wasn’t enough. And since he normally writes all ages books, he thought a children’s book might work better. "I started to think more of my brother’s life, his struggles as a gay man, I remember with him at times...he’d be afraid to go certain areas... because he was worried about being beaten up because he was gay. Or he was discriminated against at a job one time...and I started to think how can I put this all into the context of a children’s story with a message of tolerance."

In the book Gordon is persecuted and bullied basically because he’s different from the other giraffes. "And in the end Gordon rises above being persecuted to help those who persecuted him even though they are different to him." Bruce liked how he presented the idea that while this person may be different to you, you are also different to them.

"I really did this book more for gay families, but the truth of the matter is a straight family could read it to their kids and say Hey...you may grow up and you may like boys, you may like girls, but whoever you like that’s okay. And whoever somebody else likes, guess what? That’s okay too." Happily, the feedback he has received has been overwhelmingly positive. "It’s such a simple little story, but there’s so much behind the simplicity of it."

At this point, it’s too soon to gauge the overall response. Bruce has noticed with his other all-ages books, he normally would have no problem getting a review, but at times with this book he wouldn’t get a return email. Yet he’s had people in the comic book industry who have been extremely open to it. "In the end...I thought I’m just going to treat this as a book and go out and try to get whoever I can to review it...everyone I’ve gone to in the gay community has been overwhelming phenomenal."

Bruce hasn’t heard whether there are any schools who want to take the book, but there have been a few reviewers who have expressed an interest in introducing Gordon the Giraffe to school libraries. As Bruce tells it, promoting a book is a lot of work. He’s not complaining, however, as "...it wasn’t enough for me just make the book to keep that promise to my brother...I wanted to do everything I can to get it out there."

Finally, as to why the giraffe... "I don’t know what it was that clicked with me about it, but I started thinking symbolically about how the giraffe has this incredibly long neck and I thought his perspective next to all the other animals is that he’s got to see things differently than everyone else. It’s like he gets the Big Picture."

In further symbolism, within the story the giraffe mother tells Gordon, when giraffes were made they were given the biggest hearts along with their long necks so they could see and love all of creation. That worked nicely, and added to the overall charm of this book. It’s definitely a one I’d recommend to anyone with small child, or as a gift to a small child.