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Saturday, October 1, 2011

Happy Pig Day! Written and illustrated by Mo Willems. Hyperion, Hachette. 2011. $9.99 ages 4 and up


"It is the best day
to have a pig party!
It is the best day
to sing pig songs!
It is the best day
to dance pig dances!
It is the best day
to eat pig food!"

You might never guess what it is the best day to say! Try 'OINKY! OINK! OINK!'

I never tire of Gerald and Piggie. They are the truest example of best friends ever! They are always thinking of the other, and wanting the other to be happy.  Piggie is bursting with happiness today in celebration of Happy Pig Day and she cannot hide her glee from her best elephant friend.

What would make Gerald happy would be free ice cream day! But he can see that Piggie is keen to celebrate pig day in a special way, and he listens thoughtfully to her joy. He is concerned that he did not know it was a day to celebrate. It seems that Piggie's other friends did know, and 'that is a lot of pigs'. It makes Gerald so sorry that he was unaware!

There is nothing about the two of them that is the same. It makes the gap appear large and insurmountable to him. He doesn't know how to wish Piggie a happy day in her own language. He does not belong, and he is upset. Piggie, as best friends so often do, reassures her pal that there is no need for concern. The celebration is his, too!

Kids love to listen! I love to read them! What more can we ask?

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