How to Use Elephant & Piggie Books for Early Reading Fun
By Little Toy Tribe | Published: 2026-10-24
Category: How-to Guides
Learn how to turn Elephant & Piggie books into engaging early reading activities for toddlers and preschoolers, with simple steps that build confidence and joy.
Quick answer
Use Elephant & Piggie books as a playful tool for early reading by letting your child read the speech bubbles aloud while you narrate the story, building confidence and comprehension step by step.
Why Elephant & Piggie work for early readers
Mo Willems' Elephant & Piggie series uses simple vocabulary, repetition, and expressive speech bubbles that make the text feel like a conversation. This format naturally invites children to participate, especially when they can 'read' the character's lines with emotion. The humor keeps them engaged, and the short page count means even a wiggly toddler can finish a story.
The books are designed for shared reading, not solo decoding. That means you can focus on building fluency and comprehension without pressure. The illustrations also carry much of the story, so children can infer meaning from pictures—a key early literacy skill.
A note on format and age
Elephant & Piggie books are paperbacks with sturdy pages, ideal for small hands. They work best for children ages 2 to 6. Younger toddlers may need more help holding the book and turning pages, while older preschoolers can attempt to read entire speech bubbles on their own. The text is large and clear, with plenty of white space, which helps emerging readers focus on the words.
Steps for early reading fun with Elephant & Piggie
- Step 1: Preview the pictures together: Before reading the words, flip through the pages and talk about what's happening in the illustrations. Ask simple questions like 'What do you think Gerald is feeling?' This builds prediction skills and sets the stage for understanding the story. Common mistake: jumping straight into the text. Let your child 'read' the pictures first—it builds confidence and comprehension.
- Step 2: Read the narrator parts, let your child read the speech bubbles: You read the narration (the words outside the bubbles) while your child reads the dialogue inside the bubbles. Start by pointing to each bubble as you say the line, then let your child try. The repetition of phrases like 'I broke my trunk!' makes it easy to remember and 'read' again. Checkpoint: If your child hesitates, read the line together first. Don't worry about perfect accuracy—enthusiasm matters more.
- Step 3: Act out the emotions: Encourage your child to use different voices and facial expressions for Elephant and Piggie. For example, a high, excited voice for Piggie and a slow, dramatic voice for Elephant. This deepens comprehension and makes reading feel like play. Common mistake: reading in a flat voice. Exaggerate the emotions—your child will copy you and have more fun.
- Step 4: Reread and switch roles: After the first read-through, switch roles so your child reads the narration and you read the speech bubbles. This gives them a chance to practice different types of text. Rereading the same book multiple times builds sight word recognition and fluency. Checkpoint: If your child gets bored, try a different Elephant & Piggie title. The series has many books with similar patterns, so each one feels fresh while reinforcing the same skills.
Product facts
- Elephant & Piggie: I Broke My Trunk!: A hilarious, speech-bubble-driven story from the Geisel Award-winning Elephant and Piggie series, as Gerald tells Piggie a long, crazy tale about breaking his trunk. The speech-bubble format lets you assign roles during reading, turning story time into a mini performance that builds reading confidence.
Elephant & Piggie: I Broke My Trunk!
