We Are in a Book!

We Are in a Book! is one of the Elephant and Piggie books (why it isn't called Gerald and Piggie, since those are the characters' names, I do not know) by Mo Willems, a very popular children's author who started off winning Emmys on Sesame Street, and is collecting Caldecott Honors.  He has written such books as Pigeon Wants a Puppy, Knuffle Bunny, and--oh, yes--Time to Pee!  


Also, a few days ago I got to work just as a co-worker was reading aloud from The Duckling Gets a Cookie?, and thought that was one of the cutest books ever.  I was also informed that I simply had to read Edwina, The Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She Was Extinct.  So I will definitely be flipping through that at work, and it may turn up in this blog later on.

The Elephant and Piggie books are what are referred to as Easy or Early Readers; and if you want a clear definition instead of a vague idea of what that means, it's simply a book intended for children just learning to read.  Easy/Early Readers are often available for children anywhere from kindergarten (or pre-) to second or third grade (or later!).  This series, as far as I can tell (though I am no expert, so don't take my word!), are more for kindergarten/first graders, with few, short words per page.

And although several of the other books in the series are perfectly adorable, I love this one because it's one of those break-the-fourth-wall, speak-to-the-reader, someone-is-watching-us! kind of books.  Piggie makes the reader say a funny word (that is, assuming the reader is reading aloud), which sends the two of them into peals of laughter.  And then Gerald asks when the book ends, at which point Piggie checks and informs him:

...which then makes Gerald panic, since that means the book is not nearly long enough for his taste.  And of course, the more he panics, the more pages he uses, and the faster the book comes to the end.

...or is it?