Picture Book Review - I Am Invited To A Party (Elephant & Piggie) – Mo Willems (Author & Illustrator)
Recommended for – Toddlers/Younger Readers
If you've read any of my previous reviews
of Mo Willems’ work, you’ll know just how highly recommended he comes. I’ve waxed lyrical about how much you need to
check out books in both the Pigeon and
Elephant & Piggie series’, and
I’m afraid I’m about to wax lyrically a bit more.
Piggie is invited to a party, and wants to
take Gerald as her guest. After all, he knows
parties. Concerned that the party could have a particular theme, Piggie and
Gerald change outfit several times, adding one on top of the other, because
after all, they must be ready.
Luckily, everyone else at the party has had the same idea.
I can’t quite put down into words just how
brilliant this particular Elephant &
Piggie book is. I mean, they’re all brilliant, but this one is brilliant. The declaration by Gerald
that he ‘knows parties’ (and Piggie’s
backup up of this fact to the reader), and the twist at the end where all the
other guests have also dressed up for several different themes (which of course
look ludicrous on top of each other) is hilarious. I’ve not quite made my way
through all the Elephant & Piggie
books yet, but at the moment this is the essential one.
Once again, the simple illustrations are
marvellously done, adding to the humour found in the words, and I can’t imagine
anything but adult and child giggling away to each other as they read. I’ve
just finished a picture book of my own, and Mo Willems’ influence is clear.
The guy is a master.