Using vocabulary that is perfect for beginning readers (and vetted by an early-learning specialist), Mo Willems has crafted a heartfelt story about celebrating the special occasions in life. Fans of the Geisel Award-winning duo will want to join the party!
Booklist (October 15, 2011 (Vol. 108, No. 4))
Preschool-Grade 1. Hooray, it’s Happy Pig Day! Of course, Gerald the elephant has no clue what this means, so Piggie launches into the holiday’s myriad glories. The parties! The dances! The pig foods! The pig games! Everyone crying Oinky! Oink! Oink! (That’s Happy Pig Day in Pig.) But while Piggie cavorts with other pigs, Gerald slinks away, feeling, as many kids sometimes do, the exclusion of not being involved in a particular holiday. Here Willems displays his cunning use of white space: the two friends are so far apart on the page. The good news? Happy Pig Day is for those who love pigs, too.
Horn Book (Spring 2012)
While Piggie ecstatically explains why Happy Pig Day "is the best day of the year," Gerald feels increasingly dejected; he's not a pig so he doesn't belong. The story ends humorously as Piggie clarifies how Gerald can participate. Willems's masterful, spare illustrations focus on the characters' changing emotions and include some humorous surprises (see: costumed "pigs" at the end).
Kirkus Reviews (September 15, 2011)
The latest entry in this popular series for beginning readers features a new holiday: It's Happy Pig Day, and Gerald the elephant is feeling left out. The elements that have made this series so successful and enduring are all present once again: a clean design (white background, lack of extraneous details, large type in word bubbles, etc.), a friendship theme and a satisfying resolution. This time around, Piggie announces the upcoming festivities, and at first Gerald's excited: "Ooooh! I did not know about Happy Pig Day." But the day soon sours for him, as three pig friends seem to be monopolizing his best friend's attention. It's not until Piggie reveals the truth about these pigs and Happy Pig Day that peace is restored. "Happy Pig Day is for . . . Anyone," begins Piggie, and a squirrel, cat and bear whip off their pig-costume heads, shouting "Who!" "Loves!" "Pigs!" respectively. Ostensibly about celebrating porcine pride, this explores coping with feelings a child may have upon learning a best friend may actually have other friends. Several Elephant & Piggie books have received Geisel Awards or Honors, for books for beginning readers; this one will not only encourage kids to give reading a go but will also teach them at least a few words in a new language: " 'Oinky! Oink! Oink!' ... 'means Happy Pig Day in Pig.' " (Early reader. 4-8)
Publishers Weekly (October 3, 2011)
It's "the best day of the year"-Happy Pig Day! Piggie goes hog-wild with her porcine friends, but Gerald feels left out and shrinks away. After Piggie finds her friend, Gerald works himself into an existential meltdown: "I do not have a snout. I do not have hooves! I am not pink! I want to say, `Happy Pig Day' in Pig! But I am not a pig." As always, Willems's delightfully mismatched best friends communicate with bold declarations and gestural expressions that convey a vast range of recognizable emotions-from the agony of feeling left out to unbridled joy at celebrating all things pig. Ages 4-8. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
School Library Journal (November 1, 2011)
PreS-Gr 3-Beginning readers will delight in this funny tale. Gerald and Piggie are celebrating "The day of the pig" with pig songs, pig dances, pig food, pig games, and friends wishing one another "oinky, oink oink," which is "pig for Happy Pig Day!" Gerald the elephant seems genuinely interested in this celebration until Piggie's friends start speaking "pig" and he feels left out. The animated characters convey emotion and humor; masterful use of white space and comic-style text bubbles will inspire repeated readings. Another hit for Willems.-Melissa Smith, Royal Oak Public Library, MI (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.