We Are in a Book! (Elephant and Piggie Series)

( 21 )

Overview

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 ...

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More About This Book

Overview

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!

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Editorial Reviews

From Barnes & Noble

In this Theodore Geisel Honor book, Gerald the elephant and his porcine companion Piggie arrive at the delightful realization that they are in a book. With that distinction comes power that makes them giggle: At whim, they can make the children reading them say funny words like "banana"! By with that power comes the realization that, with only a dozen pages left, their book will end. Is there any way to keep the fun going? For some reason, the word "rereading" comes to mind. A book to lift your spirits and spark your mind.

Children's Literature - Peg Glisson
Elephant and Piggie are back, celebrating words and reading. Gerald realizes someone is looking at the two of them and the pair is puzzled, angry, and even fearful until they realize it's a reader! "A reader is reading us!" When Gerald wonders how, Piggie drapes herself around the word bubble and realizes they can make the reader say anything the two of them want. "So Cool!" Being who they are, the pair decides to have some fun and have the reader say "banana." Hilarity ensues, as the pair dance, bounce, and laugh ... and laugh ... and laugh. Readers will too, both in saying banana and in echoing the Hee, Hee, Hee's on the pages. However, Gerald is not happy to learn that the book will end and is close to panicking when Piggie peeks ahead at page numbers and reveals that there are only twelve pages to go. Gerald has more to give and comes up with a great solution: invite the reader to read it again, which of course, he or she will! So simple and so brilliant. Willems manages to change Elephant's and Piggie's expressions with a slight brush stroke. As in all the Elephant and Piggie books, he sticks with pink and gray on an open white background—a wise decision given the frenetic nature of their antics. A subtle lesson in the construction of books and stories is included, with the explanation of speech bubbles, page numbers, and a bit of story construction. Like the others in the series, this is a perfect book for Readers' Theatre. All will want to do what is asked: read it again! Reviewer: Peg Glisson
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 Schools
Kirkus Reviews
Stalwart friends Piggie and Gerald the elephant push the metafictive envelope in a big way when they realize that "someone is looking at us." Is it a monster? worries Gerald. "No," replies the squinting Piggie. "It is... / a reader! / A reader is reading us!" How? wonders Gerald. Piggie drapes herself on a word bubble to demonstrate: "We are in a book!" "THAT IS SO COOL!" Joy leads to a little bit of clever practical joking—Piggie figures out how to make the readers say "banana" out loud, and hilarity ensues—which gives way to existential angst: "The book ends?!" exclaims an appalled Gerald. Emergent readers just beginning to grapple one-on-one with the rules of the printed codex will find the friends' antics both funny and provocative: Just who is in control here, anyway? As always, Willems displays his customary control of both body language and pacing even as he challenges his readers to engage with his characters and the physicality of their book. The friends' solution to the book's imminent end? "Hello. Will you please read us again?" You bet. (Early reader. 4-8)
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9781423133087
  • Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children
  • Publication date: 9/14/2010
  • Series: Elephant and Piggie Series
  • Pages: 64
  • Sales rank: 829
  • Age range: 4 - 8 Years
  • Product dimensions: 9.52 (w) x 11.08 (h) x 0.43 (d)

Meet the Author

Mo Willems
Number one New York Times best-selling author and illustrator Mo Willems 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). Other favorites include Big Frog Can't Fit In: A Pop-Out Book and City Dog, Country Frog illustrated by Jon J Muth. His acclaimed Elephant & Piggie early reader series received the Theodor Seuss Geisel Medal in 2008 and 2009. For more information, visit www.pigeonpresents.com.

#1 New York Times Bestselling author and illustrator Mo Willems 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 TALE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY) and his acclaimed Elephant and Piggie early reader series received the Theodor Seuss Geisel Medal in 2008 and 2009. He lives with his wife and daughter in Western Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.pigeonpresents.com.

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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 21 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(17)

4 Star

(0)

3 Star

(2)

2 Star

(1)

1 Star

(1)

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 21 Customer Reviews

  • Posted September 15, 2010

    BEST Mo Willems book to date!!!

    Elephant and Piggie are hilarious once again! This is the perfect book to get kids interested in reading! Each page is full of laughs and kids will want to read it again and again. Mo Willems sure knows how to create a hit book. I recommend it for kids and adults!

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted July 21, 2011

    Fun Book!

    Cute idea for a book. Granddaughter (3 1/2) thought it was a good book too!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted April 19, 2011

    Read it over and over!

    This is our favorite Gerald and Piggie book. My students know this book word for word. They finish the words before I can turn the pages. We have many books in the series but, this book is the hit of the bunch. My struggling readers can read this book and love the story of these two funny animals. We read it over and over. We love our Piggie and Gerald.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted February 16, 2011

    An awesome book. This is a great book.

    We are in a Book by Mo Willems

    One day I wanted to find something to read. I wanted to find a new book so I did. It was an awesome book that I just found out about. This is a great book. There is a pig named Piggie and an elephant named Gerald. It is about those characters. Mostly like in other Piggie and Gerald book they have different characters.
    And they are great friends. There are word bubbles for talking also. One reason is funny! One hilarious part is like when Piggie says "BANANA!" Isn't that hilarious and Gerald thinks it is hilarious, funny, any kind of funny or hilarious word. Also to let you know Gerald laughs in the book like he never can stop. He actually can never ever stop in his whole life. Would you ever do such a thing? And my opinion is the hilarious parts is amazing.
    Another part is when close to the end it is like Gerald is out of his mind. Of if you call it he has no brain. Rit, rit, rit. Do you think he is smart or not smart in this (?) What I am talking about is when Gerald screams in Piggie's face and yells "when will the book end?" Don't you think he is out of his mind.
    And last but not least is Piggie always tells Gerald something. For Gerald does not know that they are in a book. So as a good friend Piggie tells him that they are in a book. And then Gerald knows they are in a book and so that means that Piggie is a good friend. Also Piggie knows everything. And me as a 2nd grader I give it 20 stars. The book is for everyone. But there is bragging and do not that.
    If you really love Mo Willems' books go to Barnes and Noble. If you like the other Mo Willems like I do you will love We are in a Book.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted September 23, 2010

    Wonderfully imaginative!

    This book exceeds our expectations! It is hilarious and simply great! We own 2 sets of all Piggie & Elephant books - one for our now 10 yr old & the other for our 6 yr old. These make fantastic gifts for young readers. Highly recommended!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted September 19, 2010

    Fun read

    I saw this book in store and had to get it. Read the book to my 2 year old daughter that night and she laughed at how silly they were. This was my first read about elephant and piggie.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 11, 2013

    Lots of laughs

    We love this book. It received tons of belly laughs from 6yr old. Purchased plush toy to go with it. A big hit!!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 30, 2012

    My daughter absolutely loves this book!

    I got this for my 6 yr old for Christmas and she has read it over and over again. She absolutely loves it! I highly recommend this book.

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  • Posted September 5, 2012

    more from this reviewer

    my grand niece really likes this book!

    I've not even seen this book, it was sent to my just-turned-seven grand niece. She's had trouble mastering reading. Sent her some classics (as recommended for 7-9 by b&n) but worried that they might be a bit too challenging, so threw this one in for fun. WELL! she has declared it her "new favorite book" and has read it at least a dozen times. She takes great pleasure in reading it to her younger sister. It seems to have "saved" my gift package. So, yes! it is a great book for those who are just starting "chapter books", and for reading to younger siblings.

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted July 21, 2012

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted March 6, 2011

    Funny!!!

    We just love this one is really funny. My kids (6 & 4) love Elephant & Piggie!!!!!

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    Posted November 9, 2010

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    Posted December 21, 2010

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    Posted September 27, 2010

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    Posted January 18, 2011

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    Posted March 31, 2011

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    Posted March 29, 2011

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