Waiting Is Not Easy!

My five-year-old, pondering the egg smeared on his English muffin the other day, said, "Mommy! I bet Mo Willems is writing another Elephant and Piggie book right now!"

This kid is a fan of all things Mo Willems. He loves the Pigeon and Leonardo, and he respects Knuffle Bunny as part of Willems' oeuvre, but his favorite books are the ones about Gerald and Piggie. This is perhaps because they have such relevance to our daily lives.

What should he wear to his friend's birthday party? Gerald and Piggie know!

What should we bring when we go for a drive? Ask Gerald and Piggie!

I find the lessons pertinent even to my grown-up life, like the other day when I whipped up a frozen banana in the VitaMix and wondered, "Should I share my ice cream?" (I show more ended up sharing it.)

And now that we've read all of the Elephant and Piggie books published so far, we're finding out firsthand that Waiting [for the next book] is Not Easy! show less

This is a book where Gerald the elephant learns that while waiting is difficult, some things are worth the patience. His friend Piggie has a surprise for him, but he must wait, which leads Gerald to complain and groan throughout the day.

I would have this in my classroom to teach the importance and the results of patience.

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What a great way to introduce how important patience is! Gerald has a very hard time using his patience when his friend Piggy explains that he has a big and pretty surprise for him that they get to enjoy together. He is so very excited that he feels he can't wait to get the surprise, he needs it now. Piggy however explains that he cannot have it yet, it is a surprise and he must wait. After waiting and waiting Gerald just can't wait anymore and complains how the day is getting darker. He is upset that they wasted the whole day waiting and that he hasn't even gotten a surprise. Just when he gets really upset about it and asks piggy what they could have possibly waited all day for, Piggy points to the sky and show him a beautiful show more surprise. After seeing it Gerald admits that waiting for this was worth it. Gerald would have missed the beautiful surprise if he had let his impatience get in the way. show less

Gerald and Piggie are always fun. In this book Piggie has a surprise for Gerald but Gerald must wait. A rather impatient Gerald anxiously awaits the surprise and asks Piggie tons of questions as he waits. I hadn't read this book in the series but as with all of the Elephant and Piggie books I enjoyed it.

Simple, silly and great for any age!

Squee!  A new Elephant & Piggie book!  These are so spot-on; Willems really gets ppl, esp. little kids.  I love the bit where Gerald gets a bit of a sour-grape attitude going on, I do not think your surprise is worth all this waiting."  Not to mention the physically impressive effect of an elephant groaning...."

Sometimes waiting is hard. Very hard. Even wanting something so much cannot help the waiting or make whatever it is you are waiting come any sooner. I love Elephant and Piggie. Truly, I do. I intend to read this to a few of my friends who may, or may not, have some difficulty in waiting. I will probably read as Gerald and have them read Piggie. I tend to be more dramatic when reading these wonderful stories.

Patience is a virtue! Elephant and Piggie illustrate this in another comical Mo Willems title. I liked how what was worth waiting for was nothing material. Clever and entertaining.