Picture Book Review - Watch Me Throw the Ball! (Elephant & Piggie) - Mo Willems (Author & Illustrator)
Recommended for - Toddlers/Younger Readers
I'm still in the middle of a Mo Willems-fest, so here's another review for you - you've read all the other's that I've reviewed by now, yes?
One day, Piggie finds a ball. It belongs to Gerald, who assures us that he is excellent at throwing a ball, having worked very hard at it. Piggie wants to play, and teaches Gerald a lesson that, even though he isn't very good at throwing, he still had fun, which is what games are all about.
I giggled a lot, which is not unusual for a Mo Willems book, but I thought Piggie was particularly brilliant in this one ('Who rocks? The Pig rocks!'). The effort on her face, and the joy when she thinks she's thrown it all around the world are brilliant, and Gerald's reactions of quiet disbelief/annoyance that Piggie isn't following what he thinks she should do are perfect too. It's also a great chance to hammer home the 'It's not the winning, it's the taking part that counts message' if you want to !
It's probably obvious if you've read any of my other reviews, but this is my favourite series (along with the Pigeon series) of children's picture books around. They're genuinely funny, wonderfully but simply illustrated, and they make grown ups smile as much as children. Please, please, PLEASE check one out if you haven't done so yet.
10/10
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