We Are in a Book! (An Elephant and Piggie Book) [Hardcover]

Mo Willems (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: September 14, 2010 | Age Range: 4 - 8 years | Series: Elephant and Piggie

Gerald is careful. Piggie is not. Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can.

Gerald and Piggie are best friends.

In We Are in a Book! Gerald and Piggie discover the joy of being read. But what will happen when the book ends?

Using vocabulary perfect for beginning readers (and vetted by an early-learning specialist), Mo Willems has crafted a mind-bending story that is even more interactive than previous Elephant & Piggie adventures. Fans of the Geisel Award-winning duo won't be able to put this book down--literally!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2–Make room for another satisfying episode in the escapades of lovable Elephant (aka Gerald) and Piggie. This time the best buddies star in a witty metafictional romp replete with visual gags, such as Piggie hanging from a speech bubble and Elephant blocking the author's name on the title page. Willems revs up the fun when the friends realize that someone is watching. Who can it be? Cautious Gerald asks, “A monster?” while savvy Piggie answers, “No. It is...a reader! A reader is reading us!” Mirth ensues as the delightful creatures comprehend a newfound power: “If the reader reads out loud,” they can make the reader say words. Piggie decides upon “Banana” and Gerald's sidesplitting laughter proves contagious for all involved. But, when Gerald learns that books end, with Piggie demonstrating by turning the bottom corner of the page to see how many are left, he shouts, “This book is going too fast! I have more to give!” Not to worry–the ever-resourceful Piggie has Gerald ask, “Will you please read us again?” Beginning readers will grant Gerald's request, while grown-ups will marvel at Willems's extraordinary ability to animate his personality-packed gray and pink characters with the widest range of emotions, all drawn with the simplest of line.–Alicia Eames, New York City Public Schoolsα(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

From Booklist

In their latest pairing, Elephant and Piggie are finally ready to get meta. Realizing that their trademark blank background is, in fact, a page, the duo has a blast convincing the reader to say funny things out loud—until Piggie mentions that the book will soon end. Cue Elephant’s existential crisis: “WHEN WILL THE BOOK END!?!” From there on, it’s a cute—but never too heady—play on the physical object that the reader is holding, including a bit where Piggie appears to flip the pages forward to get a sense of how much time they have left. Willems’ satisfying (if self-serving) solution? Read it again! Preschool-Grade 2. --Daniel Kraus

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 4 - 8 years
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion Book CH; 1 edition (September 14, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1423133080
• ISBN-13: 978-1423133087
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 0.5 x 9.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (91 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #606 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #2 in Books > Children's Books > Animals > Elephants
  • #3 in Books > Children's Books > Animals > Pigs
  • #13 in Books > Children's Books > Social Situations > Friendship

More About the Author

A three-time Caldecott Honor winner for Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, and Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity, Mo Willems has also won two Geisel Medals for There is a Bird on Your Head! and Are You Ready to Play Outside? And his books are perennial New York Times bestsellers. Before he turned to children's books, Mo was a writer and animator on Sesame Street, where he won six Emmy Awards. Mo lives with his family in Massachusetts.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Pretty Much Perfect September 29, 2010

By John X Crimmins

Format:Hardcover

I brought this book home from the library last week, as I do with everything that Mo Willems writes. My oldest, a 1st grader, read the book aloud and laughed repeatedly at the silliness. Admittedly, I got to hear "Banana!" a lot more than I really wanted that night, but that's the price you pay for quality fiction.

My youngest, a toddler, curled up with the book on the floor and leafed through it again and again, giggling hysterically at the pictures. He particularly loves Piggie leaning forward to stare at the reader, but the illustrations, so clear and expressive and silly, are all wonderful.

And me, I'm really looking forward to using the book in a storytime next week. Interactive books like this, like There Are Cats in This Book or The Monster at the End of this Book, are perfect selections to read to groups of preschoolers. They love being able to become part of the story.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Genius fun October 2, 2010

By Diana

Format:Hardcover

We are big fans of Gerald and Piggie, and of Mo Willems in general, and this is a pitch perfect book for both kids and adults. With what is probably a nod to Grover in the immortal classic The Monster at the End of this Book (Sesame Street) (Big Little Golden Book), Gerald and Piggie practically jump from the page to engage the reader. I read this book during a (child free) stroll in the bookstore, and basically made a fool of myself laughing uncontrollably, but the book is such a delightful joy that I couldn't have cared less. Don't hesitate, Readers - this is a classic for your permanent library. Thanks, Mo!

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Childrens book ever!!!! October 13, 2010

By batkim12

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is the best kids book I've ever read. Mo Willems is always awesome but this one goes above and beyond. It may help to have read a few other Elephant and Piggie books to get to know the characters first, but even if you've never seen another, its fantastic. Lots of breaking the forth wall going on in here and its done amazingly fantastically well. All the Elephant and Piggie books are fantastic, My kids love them and so do my husband and I.