Waiting Is Not Easy!

I love Mo Willems’ books for their passionate and relatable characters, brilliantly simple illustrations, and sense of humor. Waiting Is Not Easy!, however, stands out among his books as one of the more thought-provoking. Incidentally, the book also received the Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor in 2015. (The primary medal is awarded each year to “the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English in the United States during the preceding year”, according to the ALSC website.)

Piggy tells Elephant she has a surprise for him. Elephant discovers it will be big, pretty, and shareable (something they can enjoy together). But wait–they have to WAIT for the surprise? Elephant does not like waiting. He groans (several times) and briefly escapes, only to return for more waiting. Piggy says it will be worth it, but as it begins to get dark, Elephant’s anxiety rises. They are running out of time! They have wasted the entire day! He explodes in frustration just before the sky explodes with stars. This–this huge expanse of sky–was the surprise. As the two gaze at the star-studded sky together, Elephant tells Piggy, “This was worth the wait.”

As the two gaze at the star-studded sky together, Elephant tells Piggy, “This was worth the wait.”

Content: 4/5

I think all of us can relate with Elephant. Waiting is not easy–especially when we don’t know exactly what we are waiting for (because it is a surprise) or when it will arrive. When we can’t envision the final result, waiting is even harder. Like Elephant, we can be tempted to complain/groan, give up/walk away, or explode/lash out in anger at those around us. As the sky grows darker and the day comes to an end, we can become more anxious, hopeless, or frustrated. This book provides some good starting points for a discussion about waiting: it’s hard, companionship helps, and it will be worth it. (Check out my post on waiting for some thoughts on how to retain hope during seasons of waiting and why we can trust it will be worth it).

This book provides some good starting points for a discussion about waiting: it’s hard, companionship helps, and it will be worth it.

Style: 3.5/5

Mo Willems’ genius is found in his simplicity. The vocabulary is simple and the sentences are short, making this an easier read for young readers. Willems’ books also make great read alouds! (But make sure you have the energy and stamina to travel with Willems’ characters along the ever-modulating ride of emotions they experience!)

Design: 5/5

Mo Willems’ simple illustrations portray lots of emotion. Most pages feature his main characters–Elephant and Piggy–suspended on a white (or occasionally colored) background. He is a master of using small changes in body language–the shape or placement of an eyebrow, the shifting of an arm–to communicate emotion through his characters. He also plays with the design of the text (italics, size, font) to communicate meaning in the text.  The lack of a specific setting draws the reader’s attention to Elephant and Piggy’s body language and text bubbles and allows the reader to quickly imagine himself or herself in the relatable emotions and simple conversations featured on each page.

Overall: 12.5/15

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