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Elephant & Piggie #16
Xiao zhu jie kuai le!
Simplified Chinese edition of Elephant and Piggie: Happy Pig Day by Mo Willems. In Simplified Chinese. Annotation copyright Tsai Fong Books, Inc. Distributed by Tsai Fong Books, Inc.
57 pages, Hardcover
First published October 4, 2011
About the author
Mo Willems
256 books4,258 followers#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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 349 reviews
March 1, 2019
Apparently there is National Pig Day in USA and it is on 1st of March.
So, HAPPY PIG DAY everyone!
But as I discoved in the internet It is an open question whether the holiday is a time to honor pigs by "giving them a break" or to appreciate their offerings (spare ribs, porkchops, bacon and ham).
Anyway, Piggie seems thrilled with her pig day :)
Time for party!
So, HAPPY PIG DAY everyone!
But as I discoved in the internet It is an open question whether the holiday is a time to honor pigs by "giving them a break" or to appreciate their offerings (spare ribs, porkchops, bacon and ham).
Anyway, Piggie seems thrilled with her pig day :)
Time for party!
July 7, 2018
Another Elephant and Piggie book that keeps the reader interested until the final page. It’s Pig Day in town and Piggie is happy to share it with anyone who will listen. She brings her friends around and tries to get Gerald to join in the festivities. However, with a trunk and floppy ears, he does not feel that he can fit in as Pig Day seems to be all about the corkscrew tail. Piggie has a surprise for him before celebrating even louder. Neo has loved each book in this series and I am pleased to be able to keep finding new and exciting books in this series for him to enjoy. Surely we will exhaust the books sooner than later, but there’s always fun when a new one crosses our path.
October 1, 2011
Not my favorite in the series, but MAN I wish Mo Willems would teach a class in how-to-end-books to every aspiring picture book author IN THE WORLD.
September 5, 2013
I'm not a huge pig fan, however, we love Mo Willems and my best friend IS a pig fan, so I can't wait to buy her this book! Willems once again enchants with this adorable book about celebrating all that is you, in your own unique way. With a little surprise at the end, this made for much fun and enjoyment in our household. Willems is still one of the few authors to completely and totally captivate both my 5 yr old and twin 3 yr olds at the same time, for the ENTIRE book. Highly recommended!
September 5, 2011
I love the dynamic between these two!! They are my favorite!!
October 12, 2011
Hurrah for another 5-star Elephant & Piggie book. I love the idea of Happy Pig Day which is a day to sing pig songs, dance pig dances, play pig games, eat pig food and shout "Oinky, Oink, Oink!" with glee. I love Piggie's exuberance over her favorite holiday, and I cannot help but identify with Gerald's existential angst over having a trunk, being gray, and feeling left out of the celebration. Fortunately, because this is a Elephant & Piggie book, there will be a silly but appropriate resolution.
I cannot wait to read this to our local 1st graders next week!
I cannot wait to read this to our local 1st graders next week!
February 24, 2017
You don't have to be a pig to celebrate Pig Day!
April 29, 2017
Gerald is sad because he thinks you have to be a pig to celebrate pig day, but of course there's a fun twist!
February 20, 2018
Hi, I am Azura. I like this because they say, "happy pig day," and I feel a little sad because Gerald doesn't understand what 'Happy Pig Day' is for. Bye!
Azura spoke
Azura spoke
July 15, 2017
These books! ❤️❤️❤️
October 12, 2011
I love the Elephant & Piggie series. My 4 year old son thinks they are great and loves them too. These books were the first beginning readers that he picked up to "read" on his own. I credit them for helping take him from "reading" to reading for real. Love, Love, Love!
When trying to develop a child to be an engaging reader, I think the books in the Elephant & Piggie series are perfect. The expression and emotion of the characters encourages children to read with that same animation. When reading an Elephant & Piggie book, my son follows right along - from the shouts and yells of anguish or excitement to the whispers of dispair and everything in between. These books help to develop life-long readers who will be great at reading out loud and storytelling.
When trying to develop a child to be an engaging reader, I think the books in the Elephant & Piggie series are perfect. The expression and emotion of the characters encourages children to read with that same animation. When reading an Elephant & Piggie book, my son follows right along - from the shouts and yells of anguish or excitement to the whispers of dispair and everything in between. These books help to develop life-long readers who will be great at reading out loud and storytelling.
August 5, 2016
I love Mo Willems and I love the lesson this book teaches in a hilarious and adorable way! You don't have to be apart of something to still celebrate it. You don't have to be a pig to celebrate pig day. If more of us knew this lesson that world would be a better place. Here's to teaching our children values that, if absorbed, will lead to better future.
September 2, 2011
What a great message contained within the covers of this funny story! Love the way Piggie and Elephant celebrate their friendship and their differences! The expressions on their faces throughout the book almost tell the story without words. Love Mo!
December 12, 2018
Elephant and Piggie really exemplify all the best qualities of friendship. I recommend these books for parents and their children as exemplary works of children’s lit. I might even go as far as to say Willems is the Dr Seuss of this generation.
September 29, 2011
Oooh! A new one!! (But wait! When's Elephant Day?)
October 22, 2011
How I wish it were Free Ice Cream day. I think I relate more to the elephant than the pig.
December 16, 2018
Now we are 16 books in and I know for a fact Piggie and Elephant are friends to the end.
June 21, 2017
This might just be my favorite in the series. It is Pig day and Piggie is celebrating with other pigs. Elephant wants to wish her a Happy Pig Day but he isn't sure how and he feels left out. Of course there is a twist at the end. There are such realistic, raw emotions in this book and it is so relatable...from Piggie's joy in celebrating Pig Day to elephant's feelings of being lonely and excluded. Mo Willems is a genius.
February 19, 2025
This was a cute one. It was simple, had a good message, and was easy for the young ones to understand. We read it with the preschoolers. They got very into the story because we started doing the "Oinky Oink Oink" parts together which they really really enjoyed. One of them told me they liked that one at the end.
October 7, 2025
This Book Even Surprised me! Mo Willems’ Elephant & Piggie books are proof that less really can be more. With minimal text and expressive illustrations, he creates stories that feel alive and inviting. The pacing and repetition make them perfect for beginning readers, and the humor keeps everyone engaged from start to finish. My children love reading these together, and I love the opportunities they create for conversation and laughter.
June 1, 2021
So do his friends just keep pig suits around or...?
October 3, 2021
It was good. Really nice. In the book there was mystery. I liked it!
October 8, 2021
These books are often surprising and refreshing in how they address the same old issues.
May 9, 2022
My son enjoyed and understood the story faster than me.
August 27, 2024
Biggest plot twist I’ve seen since I read “I Want My Hat Back.”
August 9, 2022
5 stars, no question. Best book ever in existence (4 & 2 yr olds agree)… go get this rn!!
November 20, 2025
My daughters love these books. This is a sweet one about supporting your friends.
April 18, 2019
Cute. Used for pig themed storytime. Oinky Oink Oink is the battle cry that the kiddies chanted along with.
September 3, 2024
It makes you feel so good 😊
March 18, 2013
This book isn't awful, but I'm not especially fond of it. It epitomizes something I dislike in a lot of children's books (and children's music, children's television, etc.).
My friend's 5 year old son loves Pink Floyd's album Dark Side of the Moon. He loves Dave Brubeck's Take Five, too. He listens to them over and over and over again. He doesn't need music to be "Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O," or "There was a farmer who had a dog and Bingo was his name-o." Likewise, his favorite book is The Periodic Table, by Adrian Dingle. In other words, he's capable of appreciating books and music with some substance, even if he is a pre-schooler. My other closest friend's kids are the same way. As was I. Almost all children are.
Happy Pig Day! is the children's literature equivalent of "Old MacDonald" or "Bingo". The pictures, words, story, and all aspects of the book have been stripped of as much substance as possible. We're left with something unnecessarily oversimplified to the point of being threadbare and near-lifeless, even for a preschooler.
The dictionary definitions of "insipid" include:: without distinctive, interesting, or stimulating qualities; without sufficient taste to be pleasing; lacking vigor; flat, dull, uninteresting, tasteless, bland.
By those definitions, I'd have to say Happy Pig Day is a little bit insipid. Books, music and other culture made for little kids don't need to be like this. Even for small children, there are so many richer, more artful options, such as Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree, Antoine de Saint Exupéry's The Little Prince, Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are, Richard Scarry's What People Do All Day, Edward Gorey's The Doubtful Guest, Crockett Johnson's Harold and the Purple Crayon, Ian Falconer's Olivia, Mercer Mayers's A Special Trick, Jon J. Muth's Zen Shorts, or for even younger children, Spring is Here by Taro Gomi, or First Book of Sushi by Amy Wilson Sanger.
At any age, there's never any need for the culture we expose to our kids to be like this. Dumbing things down in this kind of way is not doing kids any favors.
My friend's 5 year old son loves Pink Floyd's album Dark Side of the Moon. He loves Dave Brubeck's Take Five, too. He listens to them over and over and over again. He doesn't need music to be "Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O," or "There was a farmer who had a dog and Bingo was his name-o." Likewise, his favorite book is The Periodic Table, by Adrian Dingle. In other words, he's capable of appreciating books and music with some substance, even if he is a pre-schooler. My other closest friend's kids are the same way. As was I. Almost all children are.
Happy Pig Day! is the children's literature equivalent of "Old MacDonald" or "Bingo". The pictures, words, story, and all aspects of the book have been stripped of as much substance as possible. We're left with something unnecessarily oversimplified to the point of being threadbare and near-lifeless, even for a preschooler.
The dictionary definitions of "insipid" include:: without distinctive, interesting, or stimulating qualities; without sufficient taste to be pleasing; lacking vigor; flat, dull, uninteresting, tasteless, bland.
By those definitions, I'd have to say Happy Pig Day is a little bit insipid. Books, music and other culture made for little kids don't need to be like this. Even for small children, there are so many richer, more artful options, such as Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree, Antoine de Saint Exupéry's The Little Prince, Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are, Richard Scarry's What People Do All Day, Edward Gorey's The Doubtful Guest, Crockett Johnson's Harold and the Purple Crayon, Ian Falconer's Olivia, Mercer Mayers's A Special Trick, Jon J. Muth's Zen Shorts, or for even younger children, Spring is Here by Taro Gomi, or First Book of Sushi by Amy Wilson Sanger.
At any age, there's never any need for the culture we expose to our kids to be like this. Dumbing things down in this kind of way is not doing kids any favors.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 349 reviews