My Friend is Sad (An Elephant and Piggie Book)
by Mo Willems
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Book Summary Information
Author: Mo WillemsBrand: Books
Illustrator: Mo Willems
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-03-13
ISBN: 1423102975
Number of pages: 64
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH
Book Reviews of My Friend is Sad (An Elephant and Piggie Book)
Book Review: Elephant Gets His Groove Back
Summary: 5 Stars
Mo Willems is a master illustrator and storyteller. He's also somewhat of an illusionist. I'll explain.
Out of the simplest elements: Just two characters, a minimal plot, a few words per page, and uncluttered illustrations that must average over 80% "white space" (i.e., the un-illustrated parts of the page), Willems constructs amazingly rich scenes that surprise us with their enormous humor, subtle understanding, and underlying complexity.
Here, Gerard the elephant tells his pal Piggie that he feels sad. Elephant's labeling of this emotion begins with a frown, and then an apparently surprised recognition that he feels blue. Piggie looks out at the reader with concern, stating, "My friend is sad." Later, we see that Elephant seems frightened of his feelings. Piggie declares confidently, "I will make him happy." These six pages of relative gravity set the scene for the entertaining frivolity that follows.
Piggie pulls out all the stops to cheer up his friend: He wear a 10 (at least!) gallon hat, "Yeehawing" about on a pretend horse,, he juggles 5 balls in the air, and wears a faux high tech costume that Gerard figures out is a robot. Piggie is thoughtful, Gerard loves cowboys, clowns, and robots, and he cheers up temporarily. However, each time, his delighted surprise doesn't last, and he is sad again. Piggie, for all his careful planning and attention to detail feels like he has failed his friend. We soon learn, however, that Piggie's disguises were perhaps a little TOO successful...!
Willems, you see, performs a neat little trick here, midway through the book; a clever twist for which we're totally unprepared. Elephant may have been sad, but apparently he's even sadder that Piggy missed all the things which cheered him up....the cowboy, the clown, and the robot! There's more, of course: Willems relishes the opportunity to capture all of Elephant's outrageous, wrenching melodrama. As Gerard recounts how happy he was seeing these characters, he becomes more and more distraught, as he recalls that Piggie was not there with him. When Gerard excitedly shouts, "THERE WAS MORE!" he's so loud that Piggy is thrown several feet away.
Toddlers and others (especially parents and adult caregivers) will recognize and appreciate these extreme of emotion. Within this simple story, Willems gives us all a chance to see the humor of Elephant's histrionics. Moreover, the plot twist is itself hilarious, because we're in on the secret that Piggie--of course--WAS there. At the conclusion, the elephant hugs Piggie, happily declaring, "My friend is here now," and, after quietly and happily sitting near him, blushingly admits, "I need my friends." Piggy looks out at us, and whispers a little zinger, "You need new glasses." Gerard looks confused--but not unhappy.
BY equal measure droll and unsparingly funny, but full of action, emotion, and surprise, "My Friend is Sad" is another gem in Mo Willems' humor and insight in simple situations. It's a great companion to "Today I Will Fly" (also released in March 2007); I recommend both books very highly.
Summary of My Friend is Sad (An Elephant and Piggie Book)
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 My Friend is Sad, elephant Gerald is down in the dumps. Piggie is determined to cheer him up by dressing as a cowboy, a clown, and even a robot! But what does it take to make a sad elephant happy? The answer will make even pessimistic elephants smile.
Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can.
Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to.
Gerald and Piggie are best friends.
In My Friend is Sad, elephant Gerald is down in the dumps. Piggie is determined to cheer him up by dressing as a cowboy, a clown, and even a robot! But what does it take to make a sad elephant happy? The answer will make even pessimistic elephants smile.
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