Picture book inculcates love of reading “Waiting is not easy by Mo Willems”- Sangay’s first independent reading and my review on the book.

In the picture book “Waiting is not easy”, Piggie and elephant Gerald are the best friends. Piggie is calm and happy whereas Gerald is impatient and mischievous. Piggie has a surprise for his big friend. Gerald can’t wait to see the surprise but he was asked to wait by Piggie. Gerald gets so excited and wait but the wait was not easy because he had to wait for night to come by. Gerald was at verge of giving up few times in process of waiting. Mo Willems through Gerald demonstrate how difficult waiting is. Gerald keeps insisting Piggie to disclose what the surprise was about but Piggie had to find way to convince him that the surprise was not ready and maintain surprise as surprise. The 57 pages children picture book finishes with animation like action between the two friends.

The size of the book is between A4 and A5 making it appropriate one for young children. Book consist of 57 pages full of action between only two characters. On the opening of the book, Piggie exclaiming elephant’s name indicating something interesting going to follow. Gerald is intuitively turning to Piggie’s direction. The whole two pages has only one word, elephant’s name and the illustration speak the rest. Illustration and text say same story complementing the text with the excitement in the action of two characters. Each page has not more than 7 words, however, we can figure out lots of additional information from the picture illustration. The use of various sizes font and bubble words makes readers to effortlessly immerse in reading. Page turning has effects on and connection with next page and plot development. For example, Gerald exit right hand side of the page when he was not able to wait and enters back with half body language when he cannot give up on the surprise. The use of minimal text make novice readers to read easily and room to imagination from the illustration.

 

Mo Willems books are illustrated by himself, simple illustration yet so meaningful, powerful and interactive. For example, the background page was white doesn’t mean anything in the beginning of the story and but in hindsight, change in background of page is only cue for the surprise. The whole surprise was dependent on something which was not even visible in the picture. The challenges in waiting is literally visible from the body language of protagonist, Gerald. The animation like illustration of both characters can successfully retain children’s attention till the end of reading 57 pages books.

The book is overtly directed to beginner or children aged 4-5 who are in need of education. my daughter who has mastered this story won’t let me get impatient while waiting at traffic light. She would ask from me something and followed by, I will wait. Friendship and love for nature are some of the explicit themes in the story beside its obvious moral, the meaning of patient through waiting. It also teaches us that if one has what it takes to take toil, it will be rewarded. It has shown how we should appreciate nature. For example, Gerald looks at the Surprise “beautiful sky filled with stars” with awe and promised to show him the sunrise the next day. With this, one can also derive another lesson of reciprocating the good deed. The meaning or the educational knowledge, a reader can derive from the picture book is limitless depending on the readers’ imaginative and creative powers.

The different elements of the Picture books gives various experience of reading by both pictures and text (Mallan, 1999). The waiting is boring passed the experiment of winning heart of my five-year through its simple words which gives five year reader confidence to read by herself. Ever since, Sangay tries to read most of simple book by herself.

Picture books can help inculcate love of reading in beginner readers. Storytelling serve as instant entertainment and has potential of lasting positive impact of developing strength of character, improve imagination, basic literacy skills and motivation to read and serve as teacher of various lesson in life for children through stories. My article is on why simple book can encourage your child to read. While ere is the good article on how to get your children to reading habit.. I do most of them mentioned in the list. And here is why do you have to do it with your kids !. Believe me, once your child is able to read one book, you know what it is mean by satisfaction a child can get from one independent reading. Sangay read this same book for months until I return the book back to the library after one renewal.