About the Book:

The McElroy brothers find trouble easily. Dylan plunges headfirst into it, while Daniel cleans up behind him. That’s the way it’s always been, ever since their mother left them to be bounced around the foster system, causing trouble wherever they went. The soon-to-be euthanized giraffe they just stole from the Northside Zoo may be their biggest predicament yet, in more ways than one, but there's no undoing what's been done.

Lost in Nebraska without a plan, clueless how to care for the ornery old beast in the back of the trailer, the well-meaning brothers stop to rest at an abandoned-looking barn. A pretty redhead with a snappy temperament and a shotgun discovers the boys and their sixteen-foot stowaway. Her name is Josephine, she lives on this farm with her father who is spoken of, but never seen, and her root cellar has more locks than a bank vault. This tomboy’s got a way with animals and plenty of secrets, not to mention the interest of two brothers who swore they’d never let some girl come between them. 

Writing Two Brothers, One Redhead, and a Stolen Giraffe changed my taste in music, and inspired a playlist that was several years in the making. Read the backstory on the blog, and checkout the playlist on Spotify.

1. I Am The Mountain by Damien Jurado

2. Brother by Lord Huron

3. Always Travel Light by Doug Burr

4. Josephine by Damien Jurado

5. White Daisy Passing by Rocky Votolato

6. Family by Noah Gunderson

7. Her Sorcery by Imaad Wasif

8. Esmeralda by Ben Howard

9. Nebraska by The Cash Brothers

10. Sunshine by Matt Costa

11. Live and Die by The Avett Brothers

12. I Sing I Swim by Seabear

13. As Tall As Cliffs by Margo & The Nuclear So and So’s

14. Sleeping Diagonally by Sam Beam

15. Family Farm by Chris Dorman

16. Coming ‘Round to Get You by Farewell Milwaukee

17. Line of Fire by Junip

18. Dustbowl by Horse Feathers

19. Your Rocky Spine by Great Lake Swimmers

20. Take These Thoughts by Chris and Thomas

21. These Are My Hands by Jimmy Gnecco

22. Middle of the Night by Wes Swing

23. Faintest of Sparks by Amadine

24. Life in Disguise by The Slip

25. Always Gold by Radical Face

26. Monster Ballades by Josh Ritter