I Broke My Trunk!

PreS-K—Gerald the Elephant recounts to Piggie the crazy story of how he broke his trunk. When he was playing with Hippo, he had the idea to lift him with his trunk. As Gerald tells Piggie, "a hippo on your trunk is heavy." But there is more to it. Rhino shows up and he wants a turn, so Gerald lifts them both onto his trunk, and so on, until he has lifted Hippo, Rhino, and Hippo's big sister and her piano on his trunk. As readers expect, there is more to the story of Gerald's bandaged trunk than first imagined. Willems's now classic and predictable formula, complete with an uncluttered background, large-type word balloons, and expressive characters, is as effective as ever. The style may now be familiar, but the "Elephant & Piggie" stories remain fresh, amusing, and relevant to readers, who will sit on the edge of their seats as they eagerly anticipate the surprising turn of events. A winning addition to the series.—Kristine M. Casper, Huntington Public Library, NY