I Am Invited to a Party! (Elephant & Piggie)

K-Gr 2  Beginning readers familiar with Willems's books will recognize his distinctive humor and illustrative style in these stories. When Piggie receives her first invitation to a party, she asks Gerald to join her and relies on his advicebecause he "knows" partiesin order to prepare for the big event. The elephant, however, has a tendency to overanalyze, so he prepares them both for any contingencya fancy/pool/costume party. Piggie's expressive features show her questions about their attire, but the friends set off bedecked in flippers, masks, top hat, pearl earrings, cowboy hat, and evening dress. Imagine her surprise when they find all the other guests as lavishly overdressed as they are. In the second title, Gerald learns that there are worse things than a bird on your head, namely, two love birds, a nest, and three hatchlings. With the help of Piggie, he is finally able to ask them to move, but, as the final page reveals, they have become her problem. Both books use speech bubblesgray ones for Gerald, pink for Piggieto tell the entire story. This feature is a nice touch that facilitates paired/choral readings. The conversation between the friends flows smoothly and allows beginning readers to practice expression as they read. These appealing titles will tickle the funny bones of children and are sure to become favorites. - Maura Bresnahan, High Plain Elementary School, Andover, MA

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission

The ever-exuberant Piggie is invited to a party, but it is the more circumspect Gerald the elephant who knows his way around parties and insists that they must prepare. Under Gerald's guidance, the pair dresses for a fancy party, a pool party, and a costume party cumulatively, layering their garb into truly eccentric fashion statements. Willems executes a fresh take on the cumulative tale in this fourth installment in his easy reader series starring Piggie and Gerald, introducing an updated set of survival words and sentence structures for new readers, as well as stressing the importance of reading pictures as well as words for a more comprehensive approach to contemporary literacy. Humor emanates from Gerald's calm assurance of his expertise ("I know parties," the pachyderm proudly asserts) counterpoised against Piggie's skepticism, which is expressed through wry glances and direct addresses to the reader. She's merrily compliant, though, and the payoff is surprising and witty. These books will easily take their place alongside Seuss and Eastman as classics in the beginning-reader genre. BCCB