Review of Let's Go for a Drive! by Mo Willems

Gerald and Piggie are back in the 18th installment of Mo Willems’s popular Elephant and Piggie books. This time, in Let’s Go for a Drive!, the duo are getting ready to head off on their newest adventure: a drive. Gerald has a plan, and Piggie is happy to go get every single item from Gerald’s long list of supplies. The pair are as hilarious as always, the language is easy to read, and the illustrations bring the story to life for beginning readers. Let’s Go for a Drive! is an entertaining and engaging story book that is sure to bring out the giggles.

Image

Image of Let's Go for a Drive! by Mo Willems; Willems, M. (2012). [Cover image of Let’s go for a drive!]. Retrieved from https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/books/let-s-go-for-a-drive-by-mo-willems/

Evaluation

The language in Let’s Go for a Drive! is very simple, but Mo Willems uses patterns to help the reader predict what is coming next. As Gerald plans for the drive, his excitement grows, but he gets concerned as he keeps adding things to the list of necessary supplies. For example, when Gerald realizes that they need a map, Piggie exclaims, “I have a map!” and Gerald yells, “GET THAT MAP!” (Willems, 2012, pp. 8-9). The pair repeat the same sequence of phrases for every item on Gerald’s list, whether it’s the map, sunglasses, umbrellas, or bags. Once Piggie returns with each item, the duo sings, “Drive! Drive! Drivey-drive-drive!” and adds a new refrain with the name of the item, like “Map! Map! Mappy-map-map!” (Willems, 2012, pp. 12-13). Kids will delight in singing along with Gerald and Piggie as they retrieve each item on Gerald’s list. The final problem and solution are equally delightful and will have kids grinning and laughing along with Elephant and Piggie.

The illustrations in Let’s Go for a Drive! are simple, but they fully develop the characters of Gerald and Piggie. While Piggie is very easy-going and laid-back, Gerald has a somewhat topsy-turvy personality. Gerald likes to have a plan, exclaiming, “Make a plan and stick to it, is what I say” (Willems, 2012, p. 26). At the start of the book, Gerald is calm and even-keeled when he has his plan in place, but his expressions reveal his inner turmoil as he realizes all the essentials that are missing. Gerald yells and jumps up and startles Piggie so much that everything from the umbrellas to Piggie himself go flying up in the air! The expressions on Gerald’s face really convey his mood, and Gerald has lots of moods! He alternates between being joyful and outraged, thoughtful and shocked. The illustrations bring the personalities of Gerald and Piggie to life for the reader.

The illustrations by Mo Willems also depict the action of the story. The story, meant for beginning readers, is simple with very few words. The illustrations, likewise, are simple, but they really convey the action of the story. At the beginning, when Elephant and Piggie decide to go for a drive, they both pantomime the drive; they have deep looks of concentration on their faces while moving their hands to mimic driving the car. With every item that Piggie brings back in preparation for the drive, the two dance and sway and smile. Then, as Gerald realizes he has forgotten yet another important item, he exclaims, “Wait!” and Piggie jumps up, startled, before running off to grab the next essential piece of equipment. Though the book is really just a conversation between two friends, Mo Willems does a fantastic job depicting the frenetic action and movement with his illustrations.

Response

I could really relate to Gerald in Let’s Go for a Drive! Like Gerald, I often try to plan fun adventures for my family, and, like Gerald, I really like to have a plan and gather all my items together before we head off on our adventure. When something goes wrong, I can get upset and frustrated, just as Gerald did. My husband is my “Piggie” – that person who can see the bright side of a bad situation and come up with an alternative plan. Let’s Go for a Drive! is a wonderful reminder, for kids and adults alike, that you can plan all you want, but things might not go the way you want them to. And it’s okay to come up with a new, yet equally, fun alternative (as Piggie does). Overall, I loved this book as it was both funny and provided a learning moment for kids. Children and adults will delight in the antics of Gerald and Piggie in Let’s Go for a Drive!

Conclusion

Mo Willems has created another engaging story in the Elephant and Piggie series. Let’s Go for a Drive! is silly and creative while still providing an opportunity for growth for young students. The story line with its repeated patterns is sure to engage readers who will sing along with Elephant and Piggie as they get ready for their “Drive! Drive! Drivey-drive-drive!” The art is very simple, but it fully engages the reader by developing Gerald’s complex personality and showing the action of the story. Let’s Go for a Drive! is laugh-out-loud funny with relatable characters and a valuable lesson. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it for kids ages 4 to 8. 5 stars.

Citations

Willems, M. (2012). [Cover image of Let’s go for a drive!]. Retrieved from https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/books/let-s-go-for-a-drive-by-mo-willems/

Willems, M. (2012). Let’s go for a drive! New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children.