| Elephant and Piggie: Are You Ready to Play Outside? |
|
|
|
What You Need to Know:
• This is a brilliantly conceived new learn to read series by the author of the Pigeon books (Don't Let the Pigeon Drive
the Bus).
• Willem's deft illustrations, the way they convey exactly what the character is feeling without need for words, really,
are nothing short of genius.
• Your young reader should be able to read it by themselves after only a few shared readings, the picture clues and
vocabulary choice and repetition are that good.
• Are You Ready to Play Outside is bursting with humor, hilarity and friendship lessons that children will
understand readily.
• This book has been nomintated for a 2009 Cybil Award. Please click the Cybils link on the left side of the page to
learn more about the Children's and Young Adult Bloggers Literary Awards (Cybils).
• For all those pigeons fans out there, check out the endpapers (the inside, back cover of the books). |
Sweet Series Background:
Are You Ready to Play Outside? is yet another hilarious addition in the new learn-to-read series by Mo Willems. Think of it in the same vein as a Dr. Seuss book, similar in size and feel, with a bit less text than the longer-winded Seuss books. In the Elephant and Piggie books, Willems effortlessly combines elements required for this learning to read genre, like word repetition and sight word inclusion, with comedy, terrific illustrations and a great story-line. The last is what makes this series so special. So many of the learn to read books are dreadfully boring, because it is hard to repeat words, keep the vocabulary simple, all the while creating a great story. Willems does it effortlessly with Elephant and Piggie. |
Sweet Book Summary:
The main characters are a little, optimisic, free-spirited pig named Piggie and a rather pessimistic, droll, rule-following elephant named Gerald. Are You Ready to Play Outside? really showcases each character's delightful personalities. In this adventure, Piggie can't WAIT to play outside with Gerald. As they are all ready to go, it begins to rain. Piggie can't STAND the rain, until she notices the worms are thoroughly enjoying the rain, so she and Gerald will, too. And just as they begin to have a great time in the rain, it STOPS! But Gerald, being the kind friend and caretaker to Piggie that he is, fixes it so Piggie doesn't have to go without rain. Willem's really gives Piggie the starring role in this adventure, in all her cheerful exuberance! A must read. |
Author: Mo Willems Illustrator: Mo Willems Published: 2008, 64 pages
Themes: Friendship, Animals, Humor, Excellent Read-Aloud |
|
Capture the Flag
