Book Review: We Are in a Book!

The 13th installment in Mo Willems’ Elephant and Piggie series features the return of his popular characters, Gerald and Piggie, who discover they’re actually characters within a book!  This creative story format puts the characters in direct interaction with the reader as the two not only acknowledge the reader’s presence, but directly engage with them throughout the book. The character’s trademark personalities really shine as Piggie’s enthusiastic demeanor is directly contrasted with Gerald’s anxious, over-the-top reactions to finding out they’re characters in a story.  The playful back-and-forth between the characters and reader create a laugh-out-loud, fun experience for everyone.

We Are in a Book! is one of the highlights of Mo Willems’ collection.  Its popularity helped the book receive the 2010 Geisel Honor which is awarded to the author/illustrator of the most distinguished book for beginning readers in the United States.

Promotion of Reading

We Are in a Book! is clever, witty and good for a lot of laughs.  But at its core, there is also a message that promotes books and the love of reading.

Upon finding out they’re part of a book, both characters show a ton of exuberance that they get to be part of a story.  One of the best sections of the book comes when Gerald and Piggie get a huge laugh out of getting the reader to say a random word on their command.  This particular section always gets my daughter laughing, no matter how many times we’ve read the book.  The conclusion helps drive the ‘joy of reading’ message home when the two characters ask the reader to start the book all over again.

Arguably, there’s not another book on our shelf that gets my daughter as excited for story time as We Are in a Book!  If you’re a parent that is trying to create a little enthusiasm about reading, this one is an excellent selection.

Mo Willems talent as, not only an author but, an illustrator are on full display in We Are in a Book!  Like his other Elephant and Piggie books, Willems comic-book influences are easily seen through the use of word bubbles and detailed character expressions.  The Gerald character, in particular, really stands out as he goes through a wide array of emotions which Willems captures in hilarious fashion.  My favorite illustrations come when Gerald is trying to cope with the new discovery that the book is ending soon and really show Willems range as a character artist.  While the dialogue is hysterical on its own, the character illustrations are what make this one of our top recommendations for funny stories for kids.

Once you get to the end of the book, make sure to also check out the last page.  Willems always makes sure to include his classic Pigeon character throughout his other stories.  Finding the Pigeon is a fun easter egg that makes his books even more enjoyable.