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Elephant & Piggie Like Reading! #6
Harold & Hog Pretend For Real!
Hog is careful. Harold is not. Harold cannot help smiling. Hog can. Hog worries so that Harold does not have to.
Harold and Hog are best friends. But can Harold and Hog's friendship survive a game of pretending to be Elephant & Piggie?
64 pages, Hardcover
First published May 7, 2019
3 people are currently reading
406 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 252 reviews
May 14, 2019
Every Elephant & Piggie book met kids right where they were. Harold and Hog takes a bit more effort to get there. My Kindergartners needed a definition for 'carefree'.
March 16, 2025
Baby's first metafiction.
Mo Willem's Elephant and Piggie characters read a book about Dan Santat's Harold and Hog, an elephant and pig pair who play dress-up as their favorite book characters: Elephant and Piggie. The mismatched personality types of the duos add to the fun.
A silly and fun read with lots of laughs.
Mo Willem's Elephant and Piggie characters read a book about Dan Santat's Harold and Hog, an elephant and pig pair who play dress-up as their favorite book characters: Elephant and Piggie. The mismatched personality types of the duos add to the fun.
A silly and fun read with lots of laughs.
March 6, 2020
Really fun book on pretending that is sure to be a favorite 'play time' book.
July 14, 2022
It is fun to see Santat doing Willems: he captures the dynamic perfectly. It's particularly amusing in the context of the Elephant and Piggie reading together frame to the series. I would be joyous and carefree if GoodReads hadn't gone to the Beta format that seems to annoy the hell out of every longtime user. It is frustrating that Amazon bought up the socially networking site, gave no thought to the s.ocial-networking aspect of which they have no history, spend years giving users crap they don't want and failing to give the enhancements that users begged for over, wow, it's been DECADES and I never noticed. All this annoyance so that Amazon can turn GoodReads into an annoying consumer experience.
And thus it is proven that late-stage capitalism is the death of democracy: as every public good becomes a corporate good, when decades after the collapse of global finance and the horror of "too big to fail" sees corporations become larger and more monopolistic and only Iceland had the ability to stop the folly.
My country is broken: more than a million dead from an avoidable public health fiasco, the refusal of elected officials to protect human rights, voting rights, or the only environment available to humanity. What is the point of a government that refuses to protect our lives, liberty, and any chance of happiness for actual humans in favor of the fiction of corporate personhood?
Why, yes, more than two years of pandemic in a country with a nonfunctional Healthcare system has burned me out a wee bit.
Library copy
And thus it is proven that late-stage capitalism is the death of democracy: as every public good becomes a corporate good, when decades after the collapse of global finance and the horror of "too big to fail" sees corporations become larger and more monopolistic and only Iceland had the ability to stop the folly.
My country is broken: more than a million dead from an avoidable public health fiasco, the refusal of elected officials to protect human rights, voting rights, or the only environment available to humanity. What is the point of a government that refuses to protect our lives, liberty, and any chance of happiness for actual humans in favor of the fiction of corporate personhood?
Why, yes, more than two years of pandemic in a country with a nonfunctional Healthcare system has burned me out a wee bit.
Library copy
May 20, 2019
First sentence: Hey, Hog! Let's pretend to be Elephant and Piggie!
Premise/plot: Harold & Hog Pretend For Real! is one of the books in the series Elephant & Piggie Like Reading. The books in this series are introduced by...you guessed it...Mo Willems' Elephant and Piggie. In this one, two best friends Hog and Harold decide (though one of them reluctantly) to play pretend. They will PRETEND to be two of their favorite characters Gerald and Piggie. But there's a slight problem to this imaginative role play. Harold is NOTHING like Gerald. Hog is nothing like Piggie. Can these two figure out a way to make this role play work?
My thoughts: I love, love, love, love Elephant and Piggie. Probably even more than Harold and Hog do. Probably. Mo Willems' books have a tendency to make me gushy and wave my arms about when I book talk them. (And believe me I do book talk them.) So I love, love, love the idea of these characters playing pretend and "becoming" their favorite characters. These two know their characters. And just like the Elephant and Piggie books these two will have to problem solve together to find a solution. So in many ways, the two pairs of friends are quite similar. Speaking of solutions, I absolutely love the solution these two come up with!!! And I love how Gerald and Piggie pop back up at the end of the book. It's just a hoot!
Premise/plot: Harold & Hog Pretend For Real! is one of the books in the series Elephant & Piggie Like Reading. The books in this series are introduced by...you guessed it...Mo Willems' Elephant and Piggie. In this one, two best friends Hog and Harold decide (though one of them reluctantly) to play pretend. They will PRETEND to be two of their favorite characters Gerald and Piggie. But there's a slight problem to this imaginative role play. Harold is NOTHING like Gerald. Hog is nothing like Piggie. Can these two figure out a way to make this role play work?
My thoughts: I love, love, love, love Elephant and Piggie. Probably even more than Harold and Hog do. Probably. Mo Willems' books have a tendency to make me gushy and wave my arms about when I book talk them. (And believe me I do book talk them.) So I love, love, love the idea of these characters playing pretend and "becoming" their favorite characters. These two know their characters. And just like the Elephant and Piggie books these two will have to problem solve together to find a solution. So in many ways, the two pairs of friends are quite similar. Speaking of solutions, I absolutely love the solution these two come up with!!! And I love how Gerald and Piggie pop back up at the end of the book. It's just a hoot!
July 18, 2019
Harold and Hog decide to pretend to be Elephant and Piggie in this easy reader that pays homage to the genius of Mo Willems while making something entirely new. The two characters put on Gerald’s glasses and Piggie’s nose to help them pretend. Harold starts to describe what Piggie is like with Piggie’s carefree exuberance. Harold can’t wait to try to be Gerald with his carefulness too. Harold wants to be careful as he dances, flies and does so many things! Suddenly Harold realizes that he can’t be Gerald and Hog can’t be Piggie, they just can’t pretend that much. Perhaps though there is a solution!
Filled with exactly the right dialogue and humor, this is a very clever take on the classic Elephant and Piggie. The art itself pulls the story far enough away from Elephant and Piggie to make it clear that this is different. Add to that the juxtaposing attitudes of Harold and Hog and you have a set up for pure delight. The book even includes a touch of Pigeon to round it all out.
Smart, funny and just what Mo would want. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
Filled with exactly the right dialogue and humor, this is a very clever take on the classic Elephant and Piggie. The art itself pulls the story far enough away from Elephant and Piggie to make it clear that this is different. Add to that the juxtaposing attitudes of Harold and Hog and you have a set up for pure delight. The book even includes a touch of Pigeon to round it all out.
Smart, funny and just what Mo would want. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
May 21, 2019
I love Mo Willems and his Elephant & Piggie series. I love Dan Santat and everything he writes. Them together = Amazing!
I had really high expectations when I heard about this book and it didn't disappoint at all! It is such a fun fun read!
I'm not sure that younger kids (those that are typically into Elephant and Piggie) will immediately get all the things that are funny in this book but they will get enough. The kids that grew up reading Elephant & Piggie that are now upper elementary students will LOVE this!
I had really high expectations when I heard about this book and it didn't disappoint at all! It is such a fun fun read!
I'm not sure that younger kids (those that are typically into Elephant and Piggie) will immediately get all the things that are funny in this book but they will get enough. The kids that grew up reading Elephant & Piggie that are now upper elementary students will LOVE this!
May 10, 2019
I love this!! Its my favorite Elephant and Piggie Like Reading! book yet.
October 8, 2019
This is such an obvious rip-off of Elephant and Piggie. Of course it's done with the original author's blessing, but even though I love E&P, I don't feel that we need more copies, no matter how well done. The story felt just like an E&P story would, although the illustrations are in a different style.
Long story short: my kids liked it, but I felt that it lacked originality.
Long story short: my kids liked it, but I felt that it lacked originality.
May 4, 2019
This will be a huge hit! Can’t wait to add it to the library.
February 18, 2020
Mo Willems strikes again! With Dan Santat too!! What could go wrong!? *Gasp* Harold and Hog can't pretend well enough to be best friends? Oh no! What to do!
Yes, it's much silliness and a great book for talking about friendship and playing pretend. I wasn't sure about the illustration style, but it grew on me. And it's meta enough that adults might get more a kick out of it than kids, but I think older kids will enjoy it too.
Yes, it's much silliness and a great book for talking about friendship and playing pretend. I wasn't sure about the illustration style, but it grew on me. And it's meta enough that adults might get more a kick out of it than kids, but I think older kids will enjoy it too.
May 19, 2019
I was so excited to see a spin off from the Elephant and Piggie books by Mo Willems. Dan Santat has some wonderful children's books in his reportoire. A "real life" elephant and pig decide to pretend to be Elephant and Piggie, but find that they can't because their personalities are not suited to the character they resemble. Maybe, if they can't pretend to be these characters, they can't be best friends either. But a simple switch solves the problem in a hilarious way. It would be such fun if Harold and Hog could continue their adventures in this easy reader category that is so wanting in simple starter books for kids with a wonderful message of friendship.
August 3, 2019
I am sad that there will be no more new Elephant and Piggie books by Mo Willems. But, there is now a Harold and Hog book. Harold and Hog are best friends. They decide that they will pretend to be elephant and Piggie, but Harold is to carefree to be Gerald, and Hog is to anxious to be Piggie. The illustrations are hilarious, and the solution to the personality problem is delightful! There is even a cameo by the Pigeon. Thank you Dan Santat, and Mo Willems!
This is a fantastic early reader.
This is a fantastic early reader.
October 4, 2019
Perfect for Mo Willems fans, as we get to see characters trying their best to imitate Elephant and Piggie and realizing they are not in the correct roles. Works great for students who know and love those books. The guest appearance by another Mo Willems characters was awesome too. I have to go back and see if I missed any others.
January 31, 2019
Hilarious! Adults may like this more than kids though ;-)
September 8, 2019
Fantastic!!
May 1, 2019
Amazing. Brilliant. This will no doubt be a huge fan favorite.
May 23, 2019
Meta like We Are in a Book.
I’ve been reading it to kids all week. At first they were confused. “They’re old!” Then they got it and laughed and laughed. Then we drew Piggie and Gerald.
I’ve been reading it to kids all week. At first they were confused. “They’re old!” Then they got it and laughed and laughed. Then we drew Piggie and Gerald.
June 14, 2019
Elephant & Piggie enthusiasts will like this one! I was definitely charmed by it, and kind of maybe almost hooted (very loudly) with glee at work because of a spoilery thing towards the end.
July 28, 2019
Elephant and Piggy lovers should really enjoy this homage.
January 15, 2020
Excellent beginning reader with a nice twist.
July 5, 2019
I love Dan Santat, but somehow these illustrations are really off-putting to me. Also, my four-year-old loves E&P and didn't really like this -- she was just confused. I think the right audience for this may be like 6+ readers who have graduated from E&P.
October 8, 2020
Alena and I both liked this one.
November 3, 2020
Ugh. Children's meta fiction.
Elephant and Piggie read a book about Harold the Elephant and Hog who dress up as Elephant and Piggie, so Elephant and Piggie dress up as Harold and Hog.
Elephant and Piggie read a book about Harold the Elephant and Hog who dress up as Elephant and Piggie, so Elephant and Piggie dress up as Harold and Hog.
November 6, 2022
This was a good idea, but to me it got stuck in the uncanny valley.
December 1, 2022
Julianna and I took turns reading this book. She gives it 1 star. She did not like the realistic pictures. She likes cartoon characters better.
May 23, 2023
Cute book. I love that this is a collaboration between authors.
May 25, 2023
Really cute and an enjoyable read. First Elephant and Piggie book I’ve read.
September 21, 2024
Fantastic!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 252 reviews