A review by katymul
Watch Me Throw the Ball! by Mo Willems

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This is one of (one of) my goddaughter's favorites in the Elephant and Piggy series, and I'm delighted because it's one of my favorites too. I love a story of unstoppable optimism, and Piggy's reactions to the setbacks is right in character. If that kind of character is what draws me in to the Elephant and Piggy books, it is Gerald's ground realism that I find remarkable, because it never dips into cruelty or even wet-blanketing. Gerald cares deeply about truth, but he is never unkind to his friend about it. He gets frustrated, yes, but he doesn't punish his friend because he has a feeling. 

Plus the art is wonderful and it's very very funny.