¡Qué Triste!

a. Bibliographic data:

Willems, Mo. My Friend is Sad (An Elephant and Piggie Book). New York, New York: Disney-Hyperion, 2007. ISBN 9781423102977.

b. Plot summary:

Gerald and Piggie, a duo that share a close relationship as friends, find themselves in a rollercoaster of emotions. Gerald is sad so Piggie does everything he can to cheer up his buddy, including dressing up as a clown, a cowboy, a robot, etc. Each time, Gerald is so surprised and excited to see a new character but each time after, he gets sadder and sadder. A heart-warming twist at the end shows us all why Gerald was so sad, and with good reason too.

c. Critical Analysis:

         This book, which may not go over well with older children, is meant for a much younger crowd. In a first grade world of the all too familiar “I-don’t-want-to-be-your-friend-anymore” phrase, this book can bring a warm feeling to friendship that can bring everyone together. The theme seems to promote an empathetic feeling towards the characters, as we have all had similar situations happen to us before too.

         The simple drawings, without really any background to them, allow the reader to focus solely on the characters and what they are doing. Because of this, the facial expressions and body language seem to really bring out the words of the book, giving them life and more relatable meaning.  

d. Reviews:

“Accessible, appealing, and full of authentic emotions about what makes friendships tick, this will put a contemporary shine on easy-reader collections and give Willems' many fans--whatever their age or reading level--two more characters to love.” –Booklist

“In the world of children's books, the biggest new talent to emerge thus far in the '00s is the writer-illustrator Mo Willems." -The New york Times Book Review

 “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.” –School Library Journal

e. Connections:

This book can be used to explore different aspects of friendships and the importance of them.

This book can be used to make comparisons and contrasts with other Elephant & Piggie stories. The students can explore different themes in literature.

The kids could make happy/sad face-masks and put up the masks for the type of emotion being portrayed by Gerald, the elephant.