Today I Will Fly (Elephant and Piggie Series) by Mo Willems, Mo Willems (Illustrator)

Product Details

Synopsis

Best-selling picture book creator Mo Willems is leaps into the early reader arena with the Elephant and Piggie series.  Not surprisingly, the books are hilarious, charming, and speak directly to kids.

The books feature two lovable and funny characters: an optimistic (and often reckless) pig and a cautious, pessimistic elephant.  Children who sat on their parents' laps to have Pigeon read to them will eagerly take the plunge with these books to start reading on their own.  Each book has been vetted by an early learning specialist.  These sweet and surprising stories are a much-needed breath of fresh air in the early reader arena.  

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? 

School Library Journal

K-Gr 3 - In these two easy-to-read books, Willems introduces two best friends. Gerald is a slightly stodgy, bespectacled elephant with a stumpy, downturned trunk. Piggie is more daring and whimsical, and, like many friends, the two complement one another. In My Friend Is Sad, Piggie tries hard to cheer her dejected friend. She disguises herself as a cowboy, clown, and a robot, but Gerald doesn't recognize her and is sad because she isn't there to enjoy the fun. Without missing a beat, Piggie points out that he needs new glasses. In Today I Will Fly, Piggie announces her intention to do so to her skeptical pal. In the end, though, Gerald is making adventurous plans of his own. With just a few tweaks of his expressive lines, Willems creates engaging characters. The stories move briskly, with a minimal word count and touches of whimsy throughout. Fans of the author's previous books should check the endpapers for a cameo appearance of his familiar pigeon. These simple, humorous stories will sound just the right note for beginning readers.-Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA

Biography

Mo Willems, a number one New York Times best-selling author and illustrator, has been awarded a Caldecott Honor on three occasions (for Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, and Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity). Other favorites include Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed and Leonardo, the Terrible Monster. Mo began his career on Sesame Street, where he garnered six Emmy Awards. Visit Mo on the web at www.pigeonpresents.com.