Book Review: We Are in a Book! by Mo Willems

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: All ages will laugh at this very funny book

Cons: No real plot, young kids might not quite get it

The Bottom Line: 

Get ready to laugh

With this self-aware entry

In a fun series

Gerald and Piggie Become Aware of Us

Since I've discovered Mo Willems' Elephant and Piggie books, anytime I run across a new to me one, I have to stop and read it.  I first stumbled on We Are in a Book! about the time it was first published at a book festival.  Yes, I stopped and stood there in the tent to read it, and I laughed the entire way through.

These books center around an elephant named Gerald and his best friend Piggie.  They are opposites, but they work well together.  The stories are simple with just dialog between the characters to tell it.  But there's still usually a good story and a simple moral to take away with the laughs that are sure to come as you read.

This book is a bit of a departure from what I just described because it really doesn't have a story or moral.  It's purely for fun, but fun it is in spades.

Gerald makes a sudden revelation - there are people watching him and his friend Piggie.  But Piggie is aware and not at all upset by the fact that they are being read.  Piggie even realizes that she can make us say anything she wants, like "Bananas."  But what will happen when the book ends?

Really, the book is just the two characters talking back and forth as they first realize they are in a book and then discuss what they can make us do.  The only real drama comes when Gerald learns the book will end.  But even that is funny because of his over the top reaction.

These books are classified as early readers, and I would say the most complicated word here is bananas.  Kids with a basic understanding of reading will certainly have no trouble with it.  And they'll even learn about reading with emotion as they go through the book.

Despite the fact that the words are just dialog between the two, the pictures and font size (which changes drastically at times) convey the emotions with ease.  In fact, they greatly add to the fun.  The book just begs to be read aloud with enthusiasm.  The laughs will go from giggles to full on laughter when you do.

Some of the humor might go over the very young, but once a child hits 3 or so, I think they'll get the jokes that come from the premise.

As always, the illustrations are simple with just the two characters.  But the expressions and poses are genius and truly add to the fun of the book.

While not typical for this series, this is an entry not to be missed.  You and your child will laugh hard at We Are in a Book!