Waiting is Not Easy an Elephant and Piggie Book book

,

• Home
• My Books

Open Preview

See a Problem?

We'd love your help. Let us know what's wrong with this preview of Waiting Is Not Easy! by Mo Willems.

Thanks for telling us about the problem.

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Community Reviews

 · 5,263 ratings  · 654 reviews

Start your review of Waiting Is Not Easy! (Elephant & Piggie, #22)

Dec 24, 2020 Tim rated it really liked it

Piggie has a surprise for Gerald, but will not tell him what it is and also tells him he will have to wait for it. Is the surprise worth waiting for? Is it something really special? Can Gerald wait the entire time without groaning...

Well, obviously the answer is "no" to that last one at least.

The Elephant and Piggie books are not complex stories in terms of either story or art. They are simple tales that young children can relate to, using simple words and art that keep them interested, but do

Piggie has a surprise for Gerald, but will not tell him what it is and also tells him he will have to wait for it. Is the surprise worth waiting for? Is it something really special? Can Gerald wait the entire time without groaning...

Well, obviously the answer is "no" to that last one at least.

The Elephant and Piggie books are not complex stories in terms of either story or art. They are simple tales that young children can relate to, using simple words and art that keep them interested, but do not confuse. With that note, I feel Willems actually tried to do something ambitious with this one. The story is still simple enough, but the art actually manages to impress this time. What does he do? That actually needs to be seen, not explained.

In my opinion this is one of the more charming books in the series. It continually gets a laugh or two out of my daughter, it has a good lesson on patience and has an ending well worth that wait. A fairly impressed 4/5 stars.

...more

Dec 19, 2014 Jessica rated it it was amazing

Every time a new Elephant and Piggie book comes out, I think, He can't possibly top the last one! And then Mo Willems just easily tops the last one.

This book is my new favorite. I mean, I love We Are In A Book. It's so meta, kids can barely appreciate it. But this one has a sweetness that honestly made me tear up a little. So charming! Love Gerald and Piggie, and hope to see them in many more adventures. Definitely one of my top picture books for this year.

Every time a new Elephant and Piggie book comes out, I think, He can't possibly top the last one! And then Mo Willems just easily tops the last one.

This book is my new favorite. I mean, I love We Are In A Book. It's so meta, kids can barely appreciate it. But this one has a sweetness that honestly made me tear up a little. So charming! Love Gerald and Piggie, and hope to see them in many more adventures. Definitely one of my top picture books for this year.

...more

Jun 16, 2018 Matt rated it really liked it

Gerald the Elephant is eager to learn when Piggie announces that there is a surprise on the way. However, once Gerald learns that the surprise is not yet ready, he is forced to accept having to wait. What begins as a slight irritation soon sours him into an emotional mess and Piggie is forced to watch her friend unravel. As time passes and the day turns to night, Gerald is unsure he will be able to cope, but waiting might be the one thing he needs to enjoy this ultimate surprise. Neo did well re Gerald the Elephant is eager to learn when Piggie announces that there is a surprise on the way. However, once Gerald learns that the surprise is not yet ready, he is forced to accept having to wait. What begins as a slight irritation soon sours him into an emotional mess and Piggie is forced to watch her friend unravel. As time passes and the day turns to night, Gerald is unsure he will be able to cope, but waiting might be the one thing he needs to enjoy this ultimate surprise. Neo did well reading this to me and seems to love this series. He knew all about Piggie and Gerald, including the emotional mess that is one particular elephant. I have a pile of these books and Neo is eager to tackle them. Stay tuned, folks! ...more

Mar 28, 2019 Sophia Triad rated it really liked it

Piggie teaches Gerald how to be patient. Gerald is in his usual emotional mess.
The surprise in the end is worth the waiting.

Sep 14, 2015 Brent Weeks rated it really liked it

Really more like 4.5 stars. Granted, it's a book about patience. So one shouldn't be surprised that it's a little slow. And the payoff is good. We've certainly used the lessons in this book with our daughter.

I don't find Elephant and Piggy to be quite as charming as many of Mo Willems's other characters. There's just not as much joy in picking up this book as I expect from a Mo Willems title.

Jan 30, 2017 Pooja rated it really liked it

Waiting can be fun sometimes, though not easy. The fruit is great. With this insightful message, Mo Willems fabricates a sweet and cute story!

May 15, 2015 Kelly rated it it was amazing

I *love* the Elephant and Piggie books, and so does my toddler! The topics are ones that kids can relate to, and this volume is no exception. In fact, my son's birthday is coming up soon, and he's been going insane waiting to find out what his gift is. He keeps asking leading questions, trying to figure it out, and even asked the other day, "Can you show me a little piece?" (That's three-year-old for "Maybe I can sneakily get you to answer my question!") He hates waiting for anything; suspense i I *love* the Elephant and Piggie books, and so does my toddler! The topics are ones that kids can relate to, and this volume is no exception. In fact, my son's birthday is coming up soon, and he's been going insane waiting to find out what his gift is. He keeps asking leading questions, trying to figure it out, and even asked the other day, "Can you show me a little piece?" (That's three-year-old for "Maybe I can sneakily get you to answer my question!") He hates waiting for anything; suspense is not his friend. So when Gerald gets so impatient waiting to see Piggy's "surprise" that he storms off angrily, my little guy really understood. And when Gerald comes back because he can't stand not to know, and is blown away by the grandeur of his surprise (don't worry, I won't spoil it for you, but it really is amazing), we all breathed a sigh of relief. (I'm not good with suspense/anticipation, either.) This book is adorable, and I loved the twist on the usual animation; it made the surprise that much more special. ...more

Oct 20, 2014 Niki rated it it was amazing

My new favorite Piggie and Elephant! Worth the wait! I can't wait to share it with my 2nd graders. My new favorite Piggie and Elephant! Worth the wait! I can't wait to share it with my 2nd graders. ...more

Mar 20, 2022 ambyr rated it really liked it

"I didn't like that book," said my partner, who was eavesdropping on my read-aloud from the kitchen.

"Why not? Did it strike a little too close to home?"

"...maybe."

"Did you feel like you were accused of being secretly a toddler?"

"...maybe."

But the kid liked it, and it got us through her impatience waiting for dinner to be finished, and that's what counts.

"I didn't like that book," said my partner, who was eavesdropping on my read-aloud from the kitchen.

"Why not? Did it strike a little too close to home?"

"...maybe."

"Did you feel like you were accused of being secretly a toddler?"

"...maybe."

But the kid liked it, and it got us through her impatience waiting for dinner to be finished, and that's what counts.

...more

Oct 20, 2021 Laura rated it it was amazing

I loved the surprise ending to this one. This is one of my favorite Elephant & Piggie books.

Oct 31, 2014 Joan rated it really liked it

Piggie quite innocently proceeds to drive Elephant nearly insane by telling him she has a surprise for him but he'd have to wait for it. How Elephant handles or rather, doesn't handle, the whole waiting business is really funny, sure to be appreciated by kids who have experienced the pain of having to wait for anything! The drawings are really great in this book. After several disappointing books, particularly among the Pigeon series, I think Mo Willems may have found his humor again as well as Piggie quite innocently proceeds to drive Elephant nearly insane by telling him she has a surprise for him but he'd have to wait for it. How Elephant handles or rather, doesn't handle, the whole waiting business is really funny, sure to be appreciated by kids who have experienced the pain of having to wait for anything! The drawings are really great in this book. After several disappointing books, particularly among the Pigeon series, I think Mo Willems may have found his humor again as well as really expressive artwork. I really enjoyed this book where several recently mostly had me rolling my eyes or feeling downright irritated by the story and characters. Naturally Willems picked up yet another Geisel Honor Award for this fun book. I wonder if even he can keep track of how many times he's either won or gotten an Honor Award! ...more

Jan 25, 2015 Debbie Jo rated it it was amazing

The latest Elephant & Piggie book is dedicated to Trixie. "For Trixie. I can't wait to see what you'll do next." When reading aloud I always share the dedication page & sometimes we have no idea who the person is or what the story is behind the dedication. With Mo Willems & Trixie we can go back to Trixie and Knuffle Bunny.

The idea of having to wait is not easy for anyone really - so I think we can all identify with Greald's growing frustration. But in the end, all good things are worth the wai

The latest Elephant & Piggie book is dedicated to Trixie. "For Trixie. I can't wait to see what you'll do next." When reading aloud I always share the dedication page & sometimes we have no idea who the person is or what the story is behind the dedication. With Mo Willems & Trixie we can go back to Trixie and Knuffle Bunny.

The idea of having to wait is not easy for anyone really - so I think we can all identify with Greald's growing frustration. But in the end, all good things are worth the wait. I will be curious to see how the kids pick up on the visual cues we're given as the waiting goes on and on. Does this make anyone else thing of "Waiting for Godot"...

...more

Nov 02, 2014 Lisa Nagel rated it it was amazing

Another wonderful addition to the Pig and Elephant books that I can never keep on the shelves in the library. Brilliantly timed book about waiting and the magic of the night...perfect to use around the holiday season and for winter sky watching.

Feb 17, 2017 Amanda rated it really liked it

Yep, Inigo Montoya and I both agree with Gerald on this; waiting is NOT easy. Love how the concept is explained here.

This is an easy-to-read book about Gerald the elephant and Piggie the pig. Piggie has a surprise for Gerald, but he has to wait all day. Gerald is very impatient but the surprise is worth it.
This is an easy-to-read book because it uses basic words and short sentences. There are very few words per page.
The illustrator uses speech bubbles to distinguish the text from the illustrations. As Gerald grows increasingly more impatient, he groans in frustration. The illustrator makes the speech bubbles This is an easy-to-read book about Gerald the elephant and Piggie the pig. Piggie has a surprise for Gerald, but he has to wait all day. Gerald is very impatient but the surprise is worth it.
This is an easy-to-read book because it uses basic words and short sentences. There are very few words per page.
The illustrator uses speech bubbles to distinguish the text from the illustrations. As Gerald grows increasingly more impatient, he groans in frustration. The illustrator makes the speech bubbles bigger and bigger each time to show Gerald's development. The speech bubbles become so large that they bump into Piggie. The illustrator also gradually changed the color of the pages to show that the sun was setting and that it was getting darker. The illustrations contribute to the story and make it entertaining.
This is a good book for a young reader to use to develop their reading skills. The words are simple, foundational words that kids will recognize. The story is engaging so students will want to know what happens. This book could also be a fun read-aloud book as the students are anxious to see what the surprise is as well.
...more

Sep 28, 2017 Magpie67 rated it it was amazing

Even adults have this problem. Sometimes exciting moments are hard to wait for, but in this case waiting all day is worth the wait. Mo Willems is the bomb, I love his work! This is the perfect book for adults to read to children and plan a day for themselves to wait for the surprise at the end of this book.

Aug 25, 2020 Lynsy rated it really liked it

This book has a very important message for kids to learn: patience. It can be really hard to wait for things sometimes, but often the wait is worth it in the end. Kids can be some of the most impatient creatures on earth, so I think they will deeply understand poor Gerald's plight and gain some beneficial insight from it. This book has a very important message for kids to learn: patience. It can be really hard to wait for things sometimes, but often the wait is worth it in the end. Kids can be some of the most impatient creatures on earth, so I think they will deeply understand poor Gerald's plight and gain some beneficial insight from it. ...more

Jan 19, 2018 Melissa rated it really liked it

I can't believe this is the first Mo Willems book I've read!

This is a fantastic book that teaches kids about waiting. It's not easy, but it's worth it. I loved the speech bubbles, especially when Elephant was groaning.

I can't believe this is the first Mo Willems book I've read!

This is a fantastic book that teaches kids about waiting. It's not easy, but it's worth it. I loved the speech bubbles, especially when Elephant was groaning.

...more

Aug 26, 2019 Angela rated it it was amazing

Honestly, the ending plastered a smile to my face. It gave rise to one of those long heart-felt sighs. This one is definitely worth the wait for little people as well as big people. We could all use a little patience.

Dec 24, 2017 Audrey rated it really liked it

I bought this book like a year ago for a friend's baby & it's been sitting in my room since. Finally read it. It's cute!

Waiting Is Not Easy is a Caldecott Award Winner. This book has two characters, that teach each other how to be patient with waiting for a surprise at the end of the day. The book is a good book for easy readers and it teaches a lesson on how to be patient.

Oct 24, 2018 Brooke rated it really liked it

We love Mo Willems. A delight every time and especially in this case reading with my intensely expressive 7yo about the difficulties of waiting. Always a joy.

Dec 29, 2019 Becky rated it really liked it

Another great Elephant & Piggie book on waiting...this is definitely a concept all children will be able to relate to.

Mar 16, 2018 Dawn rated it it was amazing

This book would be great for reader's theatre during a social skills lesson.

Apr 22, 2020 Suzie Gordon rated it it was amazing

Text-to-Self Connection

Elephant and Piggy books are a big bedtime favorite in our house. Now that my youngest is starting to read sometimes we will take turns and act out the book, where one person reads elephant's lines and the other reads piggy's lines. The other night I was reading this book and my oldest decided to come invade bedtime story time with her sister. She decided to read with me, and it ended up with us both yelling the lines in the book and all of us laughing. This book I can rea

Text-to-Self Connection

Elephant and Piggy books are a big bedtime favorite in our house. Now that my youngest is starting to read sometimes we will take turns and act out the book, where one person reads elephant's lines and the other reads piggy's lines. The other night I was reading this book and my oldest decided to come invade bedtime story time with her sister. She decided to read with me, and it ended up with us both yelling the lines in the book and all of us laughing. This book I can really relate to as I hate surprises and want to know what to expect. I am pretty sure I have said all of Elephants lines in the book about waiting and how he would beg Piggy to tell him the surprise.

• A little note/tip about using these book in the classroom. My daughter's kindergarten teacher had the book on YouTube, but silent, and the kids each picked a character and had a headband that showed who they were. They acted/read the lines in class in front of their classmates. They had an absolute blast.

...more

Mar 24, 2017 Jackie rated it liked it

Waiting really isn't easy, but this is overly redundant...and just can't get beyond the dully-colored illustrations. Waiting really isn't easy, but this is overly redundant...and just can't get beyond the dully-colored illustrations. ...more

#1 New York Times Bestselling author and illustrator Mo Willems is best known for his Caldecott Honor winning picture books Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus and Knuffle Bunny: a cautionary tale.

In addition to such picture books as Leonardo the Terrible Monster, Edwina the Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She Was Extinct, and Time to Pee, Mo has created the Elephant and Piggie books, a series of early r

#1 New York Times Bestselling author and illustrator Mo Willems is best known for his Caldecott Honor winning picture books Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus and Knuffle Bunny: a cautionary tale.

In addition to such picture books as Leonardo the Terrible Monster, Edwina the Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She Was Extinct, and Time to Pee, Mo has created the Elephant and Piggie books, a series of early readers, and published You Can Never Find a Rickshaw When it Monsoons, an annotated cartoon journal sketched during a year-long voyage around the world in 1990-91.

The New York Times Book Review called Mo "the biggest new talent to emerge thus far in the 00's."

Mo's work books have been translated into a myriad of languages, spawned animated shorts and theatrical musical productions, and his illustrations, wire sculpture, and carved ceramics have been exhibited in galleries and museums across the nation.

Mo began his career as a writer and animator for television, garnering 6 Emmy awards for his writing on Sesame Street, creating Nickelodeon's The Off-Beats, Cartoon Network's Sheep in the Big City and head-writing Codename: Kids Next Door.

He lives in Brooklyn, New York with his family.

...more

Related Articles

The college campus has been a popular setting for books since the days of ancient Greece. In fact, Aristotle once wrote a dark academic...

Welcome back. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account.

pelenskytherew.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21416421-waiting-is-not-easy

Share this post