Today I Will Fly! (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: 1423102959
Number of pages: 64
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH
Book Reviews of Today I Will Fly! (An Elephant and Piggie Book)
Book Review: When Pigs Fly: Songs of Experience and Innocence
Summary: 5 Stars
Mo Willems is a master illustrator and storyteller. Typically, he uses just a few characters, a simple and somewhat absurd plot, and slight illustrations--basic shapes, lines and arrows. Within this minimalist framework, however, he has no peer."Today I Will Fly," for example, is a smark, sly take on the skeptical expression that something will happen "when pigs fly," i.e., never.
However, "never" is not a given in Willems' twisting of readers' expectations. The elephant, Gerard, who stands in an adult role (complete with professorial glasses), scoffs at young, wide-eyed Piggie's declaration that "Today, I will fly." Gerard's repeated negations reach a crescendo of adult nay-saying:
"You will not fly today.
You will not fly tomorrow.
You will not fly next week.
YOU WILL NEVER FLY!"
Piggy, ever the optimist, says simply, "I will try," as Gerard looks out at the audience with disbelief and frustration. What follows--on an adult level--is a discourse on semantics and boundaries. Kids will just love the hilarious pursuit of flight bu the inexperienced, opimistic pig. First, Piggie runs across the page, flapping her arms (!), and repeats the word, "fly," ten times, as if she could will herself to flight. Elephant replies, "you need help," undoubtedly referring to a porcine psychologist somewhere. Piggie takes this at face value, and thanks Gerard for his advice.
In Piggie's second attempt, she enlists the help of a sharp=toothed dog: Piggy is so scared that she jumps on top of Gerard's head. Her fear of the dog soon turns to pride: "I did it! I flew!" The exasperated (so much so, that Gerard falls off his head) Gerard replies, "You did not fly. YOU JUMPED!" The undaunted pig declares, "I will try again," and on her third attempt, she suspends herself from the beak of a friendly pelican. Gerard has a change of heart--or maybe he's just in a better mood because he just had lunch. Dancing, Gerard sings, "My friend can fly! She can fly!"
Abruptly, as kids often do, Piggie changes her tune: "I am not flying! I am geting help." Willems concludes with a delightful role switch: As if turning over a new leaf and embracing his "inner child," the newly optimistic Gerard says, "Tomorrow, I will fly!" Piggie, cupping his mouth in an aside, utters these parting words to Gerard and the reader:
"Good luck."
Droll, spare, but full of action and emotion, "Today I Will Fly" is another gem in the Mo Willems's never-failing search for humor in simple situations. Very highly recommended.
Summary of Today I Will Fly! (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.
Today, I Will Fly! is the funny introduction to the characters. Piggie is determined to fly. But Gerald the elephant knows that's impossible--isn't it?
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