We Are in a Book! Review by Stephanie Mihalik

1.     Bibliography

Willems, Mo. We Are in a Book! New York:  Hyperion Books for Children, 2010.  ISBN  1423133080

2.     Plot Summary

Willems’ Elephant and Piggie characters playfully dabble in all things meta in this delightfully self-referential early reader.  Quite revolutionary in nature, Willems devises a structure wherein Elephant and Piggie innocuously manipulate the actual readers to SAY WORDS!  Like banana.  A lot.  Elephant, in true Willems’ form, begins to experience anxiety about the imminent end of the book, which heightens the dramatic effect of the story.  Yet, Piggie, the true friend that he is, assures Elephant (and the reader!) that the book can be read again and again.

3.     Critical Analysis

Indeed, Willems may well be deemed the author who helps create for children a multi-dimensional understanding of the depth and structure of the experience of books and authorship.  The pervasive use of self-referential writing for children who are at such an inherently impressionable point in their early literacy development is perhaps the most brilliant, sure-fire way to assure that children who come to know this story will forever viscerally seek to connect with literature.  As the young readers sit gaping mouthed on the alphabet rugs and experience a book that talks to THEM!, the seeds of fascination with reading are firmly planted among the erupting laughter and the smiles.  Additionally, Willems’ instinctive ability to create the essence of emotions and responses with the most subtle illustrative details endears Elephant and Piggie instantly in the heart of the reader.  The theme of finality explored within the experience of becoming and being readers and learners—that even the most beautiful, joyful, relatable books come to an end—is empathetically and theatrically addressed by our trusted friends, Elephant and Piggie, and all are reassured that we may always return to the beginning—and start again.

4.     Review Excerpt(s)

2011 THEODOR SEUSS GEISEL HONOR BOOK

From School Library Monthly:  “Willems is a master at creating a variety of emotions in the faces and body language of these two lovable pals. Beginning readers will be engaged during every hysterical moment.”

From Library Media Connection: “Young students will be delighted with the child-like illustrations of Elephant and Piggie as they learn about reading books.”

From School Library Journal:  “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…”

5.     Connections

An English/creative writing/theatre connection could be made by having students write, individually or in groups, their own short stories with self-referential characters.  If groups are used, the students could then act out the stories for their classmates.

For a social learning connection, young elementary students could benefit from projected images of the numerous illustrations in this text of Elephant and Piggie that depict various emotions (i.e., content, surprised, excited, confused, happy, upset, worried, sad, and hopeful) as students are guided to recognize facial expressions and their accompanying emotions.

An (upper school) English lesson on the use and purpose of the related literary device of authorial intrusion could be (playfully) introduced with this text, with various other advanced textual examples of this similar device studied in-depth (e.g., Ivan Turgenev’s Fathers and Sons).