Willems, Mo. Let's Say
Hi to Friends Who Fly! Ill. by Mo Willems. New York: HarperCollins Children's Books, 2010.
ISBN: 978-0-06-172842-6
PLOT
SUMMARY
Cat
the Cat sets out to discover which of her friends can fly. She visits the playground where she meets
with her friends Bee the Bee, Bird the Bird, Bat the Bat, and Rhino the Rhino. To her delight, her flying friends all playfully
demonstrate their flying talents. After
she asks Rhino the Rhino if he can fly, she and the reader enjoy his surprise answer
at the end of this fun to read story.
CRITICAL
ANALYSIS
Mo
Willems' read-aloud children's book Let's Say Hi to Friends Who Fly!
captures the imagination and spirit of youthful inquisitiveness as Cat the Cat
discovers which of her friends are able to fly. He establishes the setting in a
playground, appropriate for the light-hearted and playful mood evoked by Cat
the Cat and her friends.
The
writing is simple and direct, yet slightly lyrical, in its style with the
repetition of the words in the animals' names. It is in the illustrations that the story truly comes to life. At first glance, one may consider the
vibrantly colored pictures to still be too simple and plain. Yet when looking closely,
suddenly the reader's finger is drawn to follow the movement of the dashed lines
that reveal the flying patterns of Cat the Cat's friends. Willems artfully interjects words between the
dashed lines that describe the movement of the flying friends. When tracing the lines and saying the words,
suddenly the movement becomes real and the page comes alive before the reader
and the reader's audience.
The
movement doesn't end with the flying. Throughout the story, other movement is
suggested by the clever illustrations. In one scene, Bee the Bee, Bird the
Bird, and Bat the Bat sit on one end of a see-saw, while Cat the Cat playfully
twirls on the other end as she wonders, "Who else can fly?"
It is at this point, the climax of the story
occurs on the following page when she and her friends Bat the Bat, Bee the Bee,
and Bird the Bird see Rhino the Rhino. This is when Mo Willems' talent as an
illustrator pulls through again, for the group of friends just look at him. No
words are written on the page: The startled expressions on all the faces
clearly express their feelings. True to Cat the Cat's nature, she must ask him
the question, "Can you fly, Rhino the Rhino?" The surprise ending recaptures the fun of the
book, relieving that moment of doubt. Let's
Say Hi to Friends Who Fly fulfills the imagination of the reader through
Willems' flowing illustrations and simple, yet artfully written, language.
REVIEWS
"The animals are drawn with expressions
ranging from wide-eyed innocence to surprise as they learn about the world
around them." School Library
Journal
"The author has
achieved another triumph in this new picture-book series, which also has all of
the hallmarks of accessible, engaging beginning-reader fare as well."
Kirkus' Review
CONNECTIONS
Other
books in Cat the Cat series by Mo Willems: Cat
the Cat, Who is That? and What's Your
Sound, Hound the Hound?
This
website offers activities for children who enjoy Mo Willem's books. It also offers adults, both parents and teachers, activities and lesson
plans to use in conjunction with Mo Willems' books. http://www.gomo.net/page.php?name=Home
My
thoughts: While reading this book to my almost two year-old granddaughter, she
repeated the flying words of the animals.
"Flutter, flutter." and "Flap, flap." She and I together traced the flying patterns
of the little critters while saying the words.
When we finished the book, she started to say, "Flap, flap,"
and moved her finger in the flying motion.
That is when I knew that Mo Willems understands what young children
like!
IMAGE CREDIT
Let's Say
HI to Friends Who FLY! cover illustration. Harpercollin Childen's
Publishing. Internet on-line. Accessed September 9, 2012 http://www.harpercollinschildrens.com/books/Lets-Say-Hi-Friends-Who-Fly-Mo-Willems/?isbn13=9780061728426&tctid=100
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