The Magic of Mo Willems’ Elephant & Piggie Series: Big Emotions for Little Readers

This book was recommended to me by a friend, and I cannot thank her enough. It has become my daughter's new bedtime favourite.

Why this series is a great read for kids
If you’ve ever seen your child’s face light up when a book suddenly makes them giggle or lean in, you’ll know the magic of the series by Mo Willems featuring the best-friends duo: the elephant “Gerald” and the pig “Piggie”. The books are part of the Elephant & Piggie series. 

Link to Buy: https://amzn.to/3WF9HGZ 

Here’s what makes this series especially wonderful for kids aged 1–7

1. Minimal words, maximum emotion

The text is very simple and sparse, but the illustrations and character expressions do a lot of heavy lifting. This helps very young children focus on emotion and interpersonal tone, rather than getting lost in complex narrative.
The series uses simple vocabulary, repetition of phrases, and even changes in text-size/font to show emotion. Wikipedia
This means a busy parent can read it aloud easily, and a child aged, say, 4 or 5 will understand and feel the story, even if they are still developing reading skills.

Why that's a big win:

- Builds confidence: A child can follow the story without stumbling through long sentences.

- Focus on emotion and friendship: The characters’ faces, body language and very short lines show how it feels to be happy, worried, excited, sad, etc.

- Encourages interaction: Because the text is simple, the parent/educator can pause, ask “How do you think Gerald feels?” or “What would you do if you were Piggie?”

2. Strong characters and friendship themes

Gerald (the elephant) and Piggie (the pig) are friends with contrasting personalities: Gerald tends to worry, Piggie tends to leap in. The official site of the series says: “Gerald is careful. Piggie is not. Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can. Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to.”
Why this matters for young kids:

- It shows how friends can be different and still laugh together.

- It gives both a “steady” character (Gerald) and an “enthusiastic” one (Piggie), so children can relate depending on their mood or temperament.

- Encourages empathy: Children see what it feels like to be concerned (Gerald) or excited (Piggie), and that’s part of social-emotional learning.

3. Early-reader friendly, great for ages 4-7, and even younger to enjoy with a parent

According to a children’s books site, the series is described as “hilarious comic-book style stories … perfect for early readers and will appeal to boys and girls alike.” 
In India, where many children may be at different reading stages (some reading independently at age 6, some still listening at age 3-4), this series works well for:

- Read-alouds for younger children (1–4 years): They can enjoy the fun, the big expressions, and colours.

- Beginner readers (5–7 years): They can attempt to read parts, recognise repeating words, and get a sense of sentence structure.

- Educators and parents can use it to discuss feelings, friendship, and play ideas.

4. Playful, not didactic

The tone is light, fun and playful, not heavy morals. That aligns with our brand value of Playful Purpose.
For example: one book might be about Piggie wanting to fly, another about sharing ice-cream, another about being in a book (meta!), each one simple but full of joy.
In I Am Going!, Piggie ruins a perfectly good day by telling Gerald she is going.
This kind of scenario resonates with real life: a child saying “I’ll go”, or “I want that toy”, or “I don’t like this”. It opens up gentle conversations without preaching.

Link to Buy: https://amzn.to/3WF9HGZ

5. Well-designed visuals and structure

The series uses expressive illustrations (by the same author) and a very readable layout (large fonts, speech bubbles, clear characters). The Penguin Random House description says: “Written and illustrated by Mo Willems… the books not only keep children entertained, but also help them learn valuable life lessons along the way.” Benefits:

- Captures short attention spans (1–7 years)

- Makes reading together more fun and dynamic

- Helps kids make the visual-text connection (characters + speech bubbles) which supports reading readiness

6. Cultural & pedagogical fit for India

While the books themselves are Western in context, the themes (friendship, trying something new, waiting, sharing) are universal. Some ways to localise for Indian parents or preschool educators:

- After reading: Ask your child “If Piggie lives in Bengaluru, what would she try to fly on?” or “How would Gerald feel if his friend came from faraway Mumbai?”

- Use them in preschool groups: “Let’s read We Are in a Book! and then pretend we’re in a book together.” This kind of role-play works across cultures.

How to make the most of the series at home or preschool

Here are practical tips for first-time moms, busy dads or preschool educators:

Note: If the child is younger (1-3 years), you might focus more on the illustrations and voice-read with enthusiasm, rather than the reading itself.

Why minimal-words books matter for early years

In early-years pedagogy, children benefit from:

- Visual context + simple text → less cognitive load, more fun and comprehension

- Repetition and predictability → builds confidence

- Emotionally rich content → fosters social-emotional learning

The Elephant & Piggie series ticks these boxes. The Wikipedia description states that the series “aims to teach early readers about the importance of friendship, and how to deal with life’s problems.” Wikipedia

Final thoughts

If you’re looking for a book (or series of books) that you and your child can pick up, enjoy together, and which supports early reading plus meaningful play/learning, the Elephant & Piggie series is a top pick.
Its simplicity is its strength — simple words, expressive visuals, strong friendship core, and lots of opportunities for connection and conversation.

Happy reading, and happy storytelling!