I'm a Frog! (Elephant & Piggie)

Gerald the elephant is stunned when Piggie announces he is a frog. "You look like a pig. And your name is Piggie." So Piggie explains the concept of pretending, which Gerald doesn't get at all. When Piggie tells Gerald he can pretend, he contends he can't. This is even slighter than most of the series' previous books, but it does have a funny surprise ending, and kids get to consider just what it means to pretend. The familiar pictures get their action from Piggie hopping around and their humor from the droll expression on the elephant's face. New readers will like this because the same word is repeated over and over: ribbit. - Ilene Cooper

PreS-Gr 1--Elephant and Piggie continue to amuse in this early reader. Piggie pretends to be a ribbiting, jumping frog, and children will catch on quickly and delight in "explaining" to Elephant that his friend is not actually a frog. The story is especially entertaining when Piggie tries to convince Elephant that he, too, can play--their banter escalates to a spread of tangled "No, I can't!/Yes, you can!" speech bubbles. True to Willems's style, a white background, minimal color, and charcoal outlines draw focus to the always-changing facial expressions of Elephant and Piggie. With heavy black dashes to signify motion, Piggie practically jumps off the page. The story ends with a playful twist, in which Elephant finally comprehends and pretends to be a cow. I'm a Frog will join the ranks of other well-loved Elephant and Piggie books.--Nora Clancy, Teachers College Community School, New York City

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