We Are in a Book!

BIBLIOGRAPHY

 

Willems, Mo. 2010. We are in a book!. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 9781423133087

PLOT SUMMARY

In Mo Willems’ Elephant and Piggie book, We Are in a Book!, Gerald has a feeling that he is being watched. Piggie soon discovers that the blank background behind him is a actually page in a book! Gerald and Piggie are part of a book! Readers are watching them, saying what they say. 

Cautious Gerald is unsure what to make of this until Piggie shows him how exciting (and downright hysterical) it is to manipulate what the reader reads. The duo enjoy making the reader say “Banana” until they realize the book will come to an end. In a clever ploy to prevent an end, Gerald and Piggie ask the reader to reread the book—which explains to readers why on the first page of the book, Piggie thanks them.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Gerald and Piggie, an unusual combination, are introduced and developed, not through narration, but through their own words—written in color-coded speech bubbles. Uneasy Gerald and gregarious Piggie exhibit strong personalities, so similar to the children who will read about them.

Their personalities shine through Willems’ basic illustrations. Willems captures the pair’s emotion through the expressions on their faces, their body language, and motion lines showing their movement. Had he included more detail, Willems would have taken away from the simplistic style that defines Elephant and Piggie books.

Willems’ use of speech bubbles instead of narration allows the plot to move along quickly, capturing the reader’s attention. Unlike other storybooks that have a smooth flow to the plot, We Are in a Book! bounces along as Gerald and Piggie realize they are in a book, figure out how to manipulate the reader, and concoct a solution to the book ending. The illustrations move right along with the story—the characters are not in the same position for more than a page.

Color-coded thoughts bubbles are a clever method for creating a story without narration. Willems indicates how each sentence should be read with the use of font variation. The characters’ casual speaking voices are shown with a medium sized serif font. The majority of the book uses this font size and style. 

However, when a character gets excited, whispers or shouts, the size and format of the font changes to indicate the mood: italicized words means to add emphasis; large-sized capital letters notify the reader that the speaker is shouting; small-sized font signals the reader to read in a whisper. These font variations allow the reader to read Gerald and Piggie’s words exactly how they would say them, giving the book even more animation.

PERSONAL RESPONSE

I don’t recall ever having laughed aloud at a book as much as I did with We Are in a Book! What a novel idea for characters to recognize that they are being read! Gerald seems to be the “fuddy-duddy” while Piggie is the fun-loving, adventurous one who yanks Gerald away from his comfort zone. This books not only gives a hilarious perspective from the side of the characters, it also shows how people (animals) with opposite personalities can be best friends. From this book, young readers will gain an understanding that although their peers are different, they can still have fun being friends.

AWARDS AND REVIEWS

Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book, 2011

Starred review in School Library Journal, 2010:

“Make room for another satisfying episode in the escapades of lovable Elephant (aka Gerald) and Piggie. This time the best buddies star in a witty metafictional romp replete with visual gags, such as Piggie hanging from a speech bubble and Elephant blocking the author's name on the title page. Willems revs up the fun when the friends realize that someone is watching… Beginning readers will grant Gerald's request, while grown-ups will marvel at Willems's extraordinary ability to animate his personality-packed gray and pink characters with the widest range of emotions, all drawn with the simplest of line.”

Starred review in Kirkus Review, 2010:

“Emergent readers just beginning to grapple one-on-one with the rules of the printed codex will find the friends' antics both funny and provocative: Just who is in control here, anyway? As always, Willems displays his customary control of both body language and pacing even as he challenges his readers to engage with his characters and the physicality of their book. The friends' solution to the book's imminent end? ‘Hello. Will you please read us again?’ You bet.”

CONNECTIONS

Related materials

Other books in the Elephant & Piggie series by Mo Willems

Discussion Topics

What are some of your favorite books or stories?

What makes a book your favorite?

Piggie wanted to make the readers say a word, “Banana”. He got the reaction he wanted. When an author is writing a book, how do they get the reaction they want from the reader?

Activities

Make your own book featuring Gerald and Piggie. Visit http://www.pigeonpresents.com/teachersguides/EandP_eventkit11.pdf for the book template and other activities for Elephant & Piggie books.