Among the sweets that Billy sells in The Grubber are Fizzwinkles, from China. They are referenced in one of Dahl's earlier novels, The BFG, except there they are spelled "Fizzwinkel". Billy lives in a street near an abandoned building. The building used to house an old-fashioned sweets shop but is now converted into the home of the titular giraffe, pelican and monkey who open a window cleaning business.

The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me study guide contains a biography of Roald Dahl, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. It wasn’t long before we came to the gates of Hampshire House, and as the Giraffe moved slowly up the great wide driveway, we all began to feel just a little bit nervous. ‘What’s he like, this Duke?’ the Giraffe asked me. ‘I don’t know,’ I said. ‘But he’s very very famous and very rich. People say he has twenty-five gardeners just to look after his flower-beds.’ Soon the huge house itself came into view, and what a house it was! It was like a palace! It was bigger than a palace! ‘Just look at those windows!’ cried the Monkey. ‘They’ll keep us going for ever!’

I’m think you may have got our Agency confused as there is no Darren or Cariller Cray working here! Things go smoothly when they get there until, while cleaning the bedroom windows of Henrietta the Duchess, the Giraffe and the Monkey spot a burglar attempting to steal the Duchess's jewels. The Pelican then flies in and catches the burglar, holding him prisoner in his beak despite the burglar's attempt to shoot his way out with his gun (this makes a hole in the Pelican's beak, but the Duke assures him that the chauffeur can patch it up). Soon the police arrive to arrest the burglar, whom the Chief of Police identifies as the "Cobra", one of the world's most dangerous cat burglars.

The monkey describes walnuts as being ‘scrumptious-galumptious, so flavory-savory, so sweet to eat?’. Can you think of different words / phrases to describe different senses (e.g. taste / touch / smell / hearing / sight). The giraffe, pelican and monkey set up a window cleaning company. Can you think of some other animals? What job might they be able to do? Could you write a story about this?Look at photos of giraffes / pelicans / monkeys and use these to help with your own drawings / paintings of them? (see Resources below). It’s full of salmon,’ the Duke said, ‘and I own it. You can help yourself.’ Before he had finished speaking the Pelican was in the air. The Duke and I watched him as he flew full speed towards the river. We saw him circle over the water, then he dived and disappeared. A few moments later, he was in the air again, and he had a gigantic salmon in his beak. Billy discovers that someone bought the old candy store...and that someone happens to be a giraffe, a pelican and a monkey. These lovely Roald Dahl Colouring Sheets provide you with a great activity to keep your classes calm while they have fun colouring in all their favourite Roald Dahl characters. By Gad!’ cried the Duke. ‘That’s the Duchess’s bedroom! He’s after her jewels! Call the police! Summon the army! Bring up the cannon! Charge with the Light Brigade!’ But even as he spoke the Pelican was flying up into the air. As he flew, he turned himself upside-down and tipped the window-cleaning water out of his beak. Then I saw the top half of that marvellous patented beak sliding out of his head, ready for action. ‘What’s that crazy bird up to?’ cried the Duke. ‘Wait and see,’ shouted the Monkey. ‘Hold your breath, old man! Hold your nose! Hold your horses and watch the Pelly go!’

I really liked this story! The friendships are great and the duke is a weird eccentric old guy, which I love! Eccentric old people are the best! Listen to the audiobook version of the story. Could you narrate and record a passage from the book using expression / accents / sound effects / music? It is with some regret that I sit down to write this correspondence. I understand your reluctance to read voluminous missives so I will keep this missive as unchunky as my e-pen allows. And, if your classes enjoyed learning about the different animals in ‘The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me’, they’ll like this Giraffes Cloze Worksheet.

The story tells of easy friendships, adventure and finding something you're really good at even if it might not be what other people picture you doing - and doing it with gusto. The book is called The Giraffe, The Pelly, and Me. It was about a boy called Billy and a window cleaning service. He looked up and saw us. He saw the Giraffe, the Pelly, the Monkey and me all staring down at him from above, but not a muscle moved in his face, not an eyebrow was raised. The chauffeurs of very rich men are never surprised by anything they see. The chauffeur said, ‘His Grace the Duke of Hampshire has instructed me to deliver this envelope to The Ladderless Window-Cleaning Company.’ ‘That’s us!’ cried the Monkey. The Giraffe said, ‘Be so good as to open the envelope and read us the letter.’