I Am Invited to a Party! (An Elephant and Piggie Book)
I Am Invited to a Party!
When Piggie gets a cool invitation to go to her first party, she invites her best friend Elephant to go with her. "Party! Party! Party! Party!" the two chant joyously. Elephant declares, "I know parties," and that, as it turns out, is very true. Not knowing what kind of party it will be—a fancy party, a pool party, or a costume party—the two resourceful friends prepare for all three. You could adopt an Elephant and Piggie theme for a child's birthday party, playing games based on the stories in the series, such as Balance the Nest on Your Head, Make Someone Laugh, and Pretend to Fly.
OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES:
My Friend Is Sad. Willems, Mo. Illus. by the author. Hyperion, 2007. (57 pages; AGES 2-6)
ISBN-13: 978-1423102977
"Ohhh . . ." moans Gerald, lost in his own misery. "My friend is sad," Piggie explains to us, her audience. "I will make him happy." Yee-haw! Piggie throws herself into cheering up Gerald, dressing up as a cowboy, a clown, and even a robot. Nothing works. Not until he sees Piggie sans adornment does Gerald even recognize his friend and shed his melancholia. "I need my friends," he says contentedly. "You need new glasses," Piggie quips, rolling her eyes.
There Is a Bird on Your Head! Willems, Mo. Illus. by the author. Hyperion, 2007. (57 pages; AGES 2-6)
ISBN-10: 1423106865
Elephant is not one bit happy when Piggie tells him there is a bird on his head. Could anything be worse? Certainly. Soon there are two birds sitting on Elephant's head. They are love birds and they build a nest there and lay three eggs which then hatch. Stop in mid-read, where Elephant says, "I do not want three baby chicks, two birds, and a nest on my head!" and ask listeners what they think Elephant should do about his predicament. This book is the very deserving recipient of the 2008 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award, "the most distinguished American book for beginning readers."
Today I Will Fly. Willems, Mo. Illus. by the author. Hyperion, 2007. (57 pages; AGES 2-6)
ISBN-10: 1423102959
You know that old saying, "Pigs will fly"? Well, Piggie is determined to do just that—fly. Elephant tells her, "YOU WILL NEVER FLY!" Does his naysaying stop Piggie? Not for a second. With the help of an obliging dog, a pelican, and a strategically-tied piece of string, Piggie takes to the air.
Themes : ANIMALS. FRIENDSHIP. HUMOR. PARTIES. PERSEVERANCE.
CRITICS HAVE SAID
- This silliness is sublime.
–Kirkus Reviews
IF YOU LOVE THIS BOOK, THEN TRY:
- Chaconas, Dori. Cork & Fuzz: Short and Tall. Viking, 2006. . (And others in the Cork & Fuzz series.) ISBN-13: 978-0670059850
- Elya, Susan Middleton. Eight Animals on the Town. Putnam, 2000. (And others in the Eight Animals series.) ISBN-13: 978-0698119611
- Hills, Tad. Duck & Goose. Schwartz & Wade, 2006. ISBN-13: 978-0375836114
- Lobel, Arnold. Frog and Toad Are Friends. HarperCollins, 1970. (And others in the Frog and Toad series) ISBN-13: 978-0064440202
- Marshall, James. George and Martha: The Complete Stories of Two Best Friends. Houghton Mifflin, 1997. ISBN-13: 978-0618891955
- Rohmann, Eric. My Friend Rabbit. Roaring Brook, 2002. ISBN-13: 978-0312367527
- Scieszka, Jon. Cowboy & Octopus. Viking, 2007. ISBN-13: 978-0670910588
- Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. Dog and Bear: Two Friends, Three Stories. Roaring Brook, 2007. ISBN-13: 978-1596430532
- Seuss, Dr. Horton Hatches the Egg. Random House, 1968. ISBN-13: 978-0394800776
- Shannon, David. Duck on a Bike. Scholastic, 2002. ISBN-13: 978-0439050234
- Soto, Gary. Chato and the Party Animals. Putnam, 2000. ISBN-13: 978-0142400326
- Waber, Bernard. Bearsie Bear and the Surprise Sleepover Party. Houghton Mifflin, 1997. ISBN-13: 978-0395864500
- Willems, Mo. Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus. Hyperion, 2003. (And others in the Pigeon series.) ISBN-13: 978-0786819881
- Willems, Mo. I Love My New Toy! Hyperion, 2008. ISBN-13: 978-1423109617
- Willems, Mo. I Will Surprise My Friend! Hyperion, 2008. ISBN-13: 978-1423109624
- Willems, Mo. Leonardo the Terrible Monster. Hyperion, 2005. ISBN-13: 978-0786852949