Review: A Big Guy Took My Ball by Mo Willems

 

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 A Big Guy Took My Ball! Piggie is devastated when a big guy takes her ball! Gerald is big, too...but is he big enough to help his best friend?

Mo Willems is a perpetual favorite.  His books are funny, are usually easier to read, and have great illustrations!

A BIG GUY TOOK MY BALL is the story of Piggy, who finds a ball and enjoys playing with it.  Until a big guy comes and takes it away.  Piggy runs to Elephant for help, because he feels like he's been bullied.  Elephant is outraged...until he meets the big guy---who is much bigger than he is!

Then, with a classic switch ending, we learn to see from another person's perspective.

I really like this book because it teaches kids to look at both sides of the argument, and that just because someone looks different, doesn't mean that they are mean.

The Cybils Roundup

I was honored to be chosen as a second round judge for this year's Cybil's Easy Reader and Early Chapter Book categories.  "Second round" means that we get the whittled down list of nominees---the first round judges read ALL the books nominated in the categories and gave us a list of 4-5 in each as their top picks.

I was excited to work with Terry Doherty (our moderator, founder of The Reading Tub), Zoe Toft (#1 UK parent blogger at Playing By the Book), Ashley Barrineau (librarian and blogger at The YA Librarian), Stacey Loscalzo (Children's Literacy Consultant @ http://staceyloscalzo.com/) and Katie Davis (author/illustrator/podcaster @ katiedavis.com).  These gals know their stuff and really love children's books!

How it worked was:  we all read each book; then we got on google docs and email and discussed and ranked each one.  And discussed.  And discussed.  :)  Then, Terry wrote a wonderful blurb for each winner and we edited.  So, below you will find the winners and the blurb that was written about each.  

I'm happy to announce that the winner in the Easy Reader's category was I Broke My Trunk (an Elephant and Piggie book) by Mo Willems.
Piggie is surprised to see Gerald's trunk wrapped in a bandage. When she asks how it happened, Gerald starts a v-e-r-y detailed, humorous explanation. It's wonderful how much suspense can be packed into so few words, leaving readers eager to turn the page.  Willems effectively blends illustration and early-reader vocabulary in a way that allows new readers not only to decode what's happening, but to add emotion to their reading aloud. With wonderful facial expressions and expressive body language, Gerald and Piggie invite the reader into their friendship circle. Elephant and Piggie is an entry-level Easy Reader that works very well for that very first-time, read-by-yourself story, and hits kids in one of their favorite spots: their funny bone!  

And the winner in the Early Chapter book category was Have Fun, Anna Hibiscus by Atinuke.
"Readers of all ages will fall in love with Anna Hibiscus. With beautiful writing and great illustrations, Anna invites us into her world as a young girl from Africa visiting family in Canadaduring the winter.  Have Fun, Anna Hibiscus has a lot of heart and humor. The story not only makes the reader reflect on his/her world, but shows them constructive ways of handling different situations. This is not a "girl book," but a story that celebrates cultural differences and at the same time highlights how childhood cares and concerns are similar around the world. The illustrations - particularly how they are used - add to the story's effectiveness as an early chapter book, making Anna a true friend for developing readers."

I really enjoyed all the books we read, the discussions we had and the people I've met and become friends with because of this panel.  I hope that I'm able to work on it next year, too. 

Review: Three Elephant and Piggie books by Mo Willems

 I must admit, I have never read any of the Elephant and Piggie books (horrible, I know!).  I enjoyed Knuffle Bunny and the Pigeon books (also by Mo Willems), and figured that the E & P books would have a similar humor and similar storytelling style.

Rather than writing three separate reviews, I figured I could group all the Cybils nominated Elephant and Piggie books (Happy Pig Day, I Broke My Trunk and Should I Share My Ice Cream) together and write one BIG review.

Happy Pig Day's summary from Goodreads:
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 Happy Pig Day! Piggie celebrates her favorite day of the year! But will Gerald the Elephant be included in the festivities?
Using vocabulary that is perfect for beginning readers (and vetted by an early-learning specialist), Mo Willems has crafted a heartfelt story about celebrating the special occasions in life. Fans of the Geisel Award-winning duo will want to join the party!

Piggie is excited, its her favorite day of the year---a day to sing, dance, and be with her friends.  Gerald is happy for Piggie, but is sad because since he is not a pig, he thinks he cannot celebrate Happy Pig Day with her.  Happy Pig Day is a super cute book that teaches kids to include others.


I Broke My Trunk's summary from Goodreads:

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 I Broke My Trunk! Gerald tells Piggie the long, crazy story about breaking his trunk. Will Piggie end up with a long, crazy story of her own?

I really like that this story builds on itself---introducing first Hippo; then Hippo and Rhino; then Hippo, Rhino and Hippo's (BIG) sister; then finally Hippo, Rhino, Hippo's sister and a piano.  However, thats not how Gerald broke his trunk, in a cute twist, we learn how excited Gerald was to tell his friend Piggie about his exploits and trips, falls and breaks his trunk.  Of course Piggie LOVES this crazy story and rushes off to tell others, with a pretty humorous ending.


Should I Share My Ice Cream? summary from Goodreads:

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 Should I Share My Ice Cream? Gerald has a big decision to make. But will he make it in time?

Of the three books I just read, I think this one was my favorite.  Gerald is so happy to have his ice cream (and aren't we all?), but then can't decide if he wants to be nice and share his ice cream with Piggie or eat it all himself.  I KNOW this crisis of conscience is one that kids everywhere has (because I have them myself---should I share my candy with my husband?  He'll never know.  Well, he does really like this kind of candy.  But he's at work.  AH!...and now I want candy)  In the end, Gerald spends too much time deciding and all his ice cream melts.  But Piggie shows up.

I can see myself using this book as a kind of mentor text in my classroom to help teach adjectives.  Gerald goes to great lengths to describe how great his ice cream is, and uses some great synonyms and adjectives.

Overall, what a cute series of books!  I can't believe I waited this long to read them!  I know kids like them as I always see students reading them.  And, not just young beginning readers, I see older readers with these books as well.  The words are easy and somewhat repetitive and the pictures stark.  But man, Mo Willems can do a lot with so little! 

 

I Broke My Trunk was nominated by Becky of Becky's Book Blog

Should I Share My Ice Cream? was nominated by Sarah Wendorf of Page In Training

Happy Pig Day! was nominated by Danielle Smith of There's A Book

*The above opinions expressed are mine alone and not that of the Cybils judging panel.*