Independent Reading Level: PK-2
Awards: Theodor Seuss Geisel Award

Author Mo Willems does a wonderful job in this beginning reader book. Piggie finds a ball and then big guy (whale) takes it away from him. Piggy tells Gerald about the big guy taking his ball. Gerald decided to go get the ball back from the big guy, but he is unsuccessful. Piggy, Gerald, and Big Guy learn to solve their problem and become friends by playing together. Children will love this beginning reader and develop a love for reading.

2014 Geisel Honor. ( )

"The best Elephant & Piggie book I have ever read!" -L, 5yrs

See also: You Are (Not) Small by Anna Kang

Piggie runs to Gerald with a story of a ball found and lost; when Gerald goes to confront the "big guy" who took the ball, it turns out the guy is a whale - and the "little ball" is really his! But the whale is friendly, and Piggie suggests they play (invent) "whale ball" together. ( )

Another "Elephant and Piggie" book that beginning readers will get a kick out of. This duo is always entertaining, to say the least. Piggie finds a new ball but it was taken away by a really "big guy." Piggie goes to Elephant for help and the two of them find out a whale took the ball and is disappointed that no one wants to play with him because of his great size. The speech bubbles with all uppercase font and exclamation marks really help beginning readers decipher tone and voice. ( )

This was my first introduction to Elephant & Piggie and I loved it! This is a wonderful story about perspective taking, sharing, and using your imagination. First, we hear the story from Piggie's perspective, then Elephant and then the "Big Guy", or whale. Even though it is meant for younger children, I might bring it into a Kindergarten or 1st-grade classroom and invite the students to write a similar storyline, with unique characters who also have a misunderstanding due to the different perspectives of each character.

Piggy goes to Gerald to tell him that a big guy took his ball, and to help him to get it back. Gerald goes and figure out that the "big guy" is really "BIG", but they don't know that the ball was actually the "big guy's ball. So, at the end the big guy tell them that he doesn't have friends because no one wants to play with a big guy, so piggy and Gerald they ended up figuring out how to play together and learn how to how fun even if their new friend was totally different size then them. ( )

So funny! Love Elephant's funny expression when faced with the "big guy." Gerald and Piggie have a great, loyal, hilarious relationship. Willems uses few words in these early readers, but they are carefully chosen. There are very few books out there written and illustrated as purposefully and effectively as these. ( )

Piggie is playing with a big ball she found and all of a sudden this big guy comes and takes it away. Gerald comes to her rescue and argues that “big guys” always do whatever they want and that isn’t right. When He confronts the big guy it turns out that he is much bigger than Gerald and suddenly that big ball doesn’t look so big anymore. It’s interesting and clever how Mo Willems teaches perspectives to children on a level they can actually understand. ( )

The message of this tory is that everyone can be friends no matter their differences. I'm not sure if this would be useful in the classroom. the text and the illustrations are very simple. I think children would enjoy reading this story for fun because of the hints of humor within it.

Piggie found a ball and was having lots of fun with it until a BIG guy took it back..... This is a story of a misunderstanding that led to friendships.

Great beginning reading book. I have had so many kids who feel successful and encouraged when they are able to read an elephant and Piggie book. They feel like they are actually reading a "real" book, instead of a photocopied story at their level, that aren't usually that interesting.

This is a wonderful story about perspective. Piggie finds a big ball, then a big guy comes and takes it from her. Gerald gets mad and goes to get the ball back, since big guys shouldn't be able to do whatever they want and have all the fun. But when he goes to get the ball, he learns that the "big guy" is REALLY big--a whale! Gerald gives up and goes back to Piggie in defeat. Then the whale comes to thank Piggie for finding his little ball. But he's sad because he's so big and no one will play with him--little guys have all the fun. So Piggie and Gerald create a new game, "whale ball" that they can all play together. ( )

We love love love this!!! Seeing situations from other's perspective; making friends; including everyone; beautiful turn around to understanding. ( )

Elephant and Piggie a Big Guy Took My ball is a book that teaches about misunderstandings and conflicts. It also teaches that there’s always two sides to a story. Many young readers can relate themselves to this story as sometimes similar problems occur while in the playground.

An Elephant and Piggie Book that tells a story of perspective of big versus small.

Piggie finds a ball and starts playing with it. A "big guy" comes along and takes it from her. She gets her best friend elephant who is big to get it back, but they find out that the "big guy" is really big. In the end though they find out that it is actually his ball and he wants to play but is too shy to ask anyone. They all play happily together.

Piggie loses his ball to a big whale. The elephant tries to get the ball back for Piggie, but realizes that the whale is too big. Eventually, they all come to an agreement to play together.

I would use this book as an independent reading book for lower students in my classroom.

Piggy is sad because a "big guy” took the ball she had found. Gerald, a pretty big guy himself(which is an elephant), agrees to take her ball back. However, the "big guy" is even bigger than Gerald. So the deal is that they play the ball together. Finally, everyone happy and satisfy .
It's a fantasy fiction book because all the animals are able to talk. Folktales: Stories from the oral tradition had their beginnings around hearthside and campfire. These tales were almost always fantastic in nature, involving magic or talking animals.
1. For teacher, just few pages and few words to prepared and easy content.
2. For student, few pages and few words make children easy to understand, and would not feel boring at all. ( )

Quirky, funny, and just fun! Mo Willems creates another Elephant and Piggie book that delights.

Like so many books that maybe my kid's not expected to be sophisticated enough for yet, this one dwells too long on an interpersonal conflict (a whale took Piggie's ball); Emmett gets that kids push other kids down and grab their shit, but not the whole narrative about Gerald being Piggie's hero and standing up for her and the implication that he'll knock that whale's block off and all. Whale is a good character but this is less fun than some others in the series. ( )

Good 'ol Mo Willems. Every book comes with laughs. This story is about Elephant, Piggy, and a very big Whale. Piggy finds a ball, which is the Whale's lost ball. Confusion leads to laughs leads to inclusion. Always a nice theme to share with children. ( )

This is an easy read book. The letters are large and the text is put into color coded text bubbles so that kids can keep track of who is talking.

Elephant and Piggie wonder what to do when a much larger kid has the ball they want to play with.