Listen to My Trumpet! (An Elephant and Piggie Book) [Hardcover]

Mo Willems (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: February 7, 2012 | Age Range: 4 - 8 years | Series: Elephant and Piggie

Gerald is careful. Piggie is not.
Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can.
Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to.

Gerald and Piggie are best friends.

In Listen to My Trumpet! Piggie can’t wait to play her new instrument for Gerald! But is she ready to listen to his reaction?

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mo Willems (www.pigeonpresents.com), a number one New York Times best-selling author and illustrator, has been awarded a Caldecott Honor on three occasions (for Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, and Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity). Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! was also an inaugural inductee into the Indies Choice Picture Book Hall of Fame. And his celebrated Elephant & Piggie early reader series has been awarded the Theodor Seuss Geisel Medal on two occasions (for There Is a Bird on Your Head! and Are You Ready to Play Outside?) as well as an Honor (for We Are in a Book!). Other favorites include Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed and City Dog, Country Frog, illustrated by Jon J Muth.

Mo began his career on Sesame Street, where he garnered six Emmy Awards. He lives with his family in Massachusetts.

Product Details

• Age Range: 4 - 8 years
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion Book CH (February 7, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1423154045
• ISBN-13: 978-1423154044
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 0.5 x 9.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,487 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #22 in Books > Children's Books > Animals > Elephants
  • #22 in Books > Children's Books > Arts, Crafts & Music > Performing Arts
  • #24 in Books > Children's Books > Animals > Pigs

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Friends always tell each other the truth -- even when it hurts! February 7, 2012

By Martha A. Barton

Amazon Verified Purchase

The latest installment in the Mo Willems "Piggie and Elephant" franchise, "Listen to My Trumpet", has Piggie wowing Gerald with her new trumpet. Gerald listens. Gerald winces. Sadly, she's no Satchmo. Gerald tries to think of nice things to say that will not hurt Piggies feelings:

1. it's "shiny"
2. it's "loud"
3. Piggie "holds it well"

But of course much as she likes hearing that stuff -- that is not enough for Piggie. She wants more -- she wants to know what he REALLY thinks! And Gerald, being a great friend, conscientiously tells her the truth as gently as possible.

It has a fun twist at the end, and once again shows children though the charming relationship between these two best friends, exactly what being a true friend is all about -- honesty, love, trust, compassion and concern.

Great stuff.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Gerald and Piggy's friendship is tested by some pretty bad trumpet playing ... "Kl-ack! Gr-elp!!!" March 26, 2012

By D. Fowler TOP 50 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Gerald the elephant's eyes widened as Piggy came running at him, calling his name and offering him a stool. "Sit! Sit! Sit!" Piggy was all excited and ran off as soon as Gerald was sitting on that teeny weeny stool. She quickly came back with a trumpet in hand, announced her find, and snuggled up to Gerald and asked if he wanted to hear her play. Of course he did. After all, that's what friends are for. Piggy smiled as she hugged her trumpet and got ready to play.

Piggy blew and he blew and she blew until she got red in the face. Gerald was taken aback and then all of a sudden "Bluuuurrk!" It was a horrible sound that knocked poor Gerald right off the stool. It was so bad that even his nose crinkled up in shock. Piggy exclaimed, "Wait. That was not right." No, it was not right, it was awful. Piggy peered into her trumpet and "Bl-ap! Fr-ip! Br-ip! Vr-ip!" tried again. Things went from bad to worse and then Piggy wanted to know what Gerald thought of her playing. What would happen if he told her the truth? Would they still be friends?

Gerald and Piggy's friendship is tested by some pretty bad trumpet playing. This is yet another inimitable Mo Willems book about this charming duo. Everyone from the preschooler to the adult can't help but fall in love with them. Nonreader and emergent readers will enjoy "reading" along with an adult. Youngsters everywhere will love Piggy's hilarious antics and her less than stellar musical talents. The artwork is bold and expressive. I particularly how Willems caught every nuance on Gerald's face. Can he really face the music? You'll just have to add this one to your list and find out?

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars More of the (awesome) same, with new! February 27, 2012

By a reader

The Elephant and Piggie series is a sure thing with our 3yo (and 8yo for that matter), and this installment is no exception. Kids just love it, and it respects adults' intelligence. No big surprises there.

I found it interesting that Willems apparently changed his drawing techniques a little for this one: the lines have a varied thickness and are thicker overall, with some texture. It's more expressive, though at first it seemed more primitive. Elephant and Piggie are still inimitably themselves, yet just a little different. I like it.